Sudanese militia forces murder 14 individuals attempting to escape a city under siege
El-Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur, has been under siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2024. The RSF's ultimate goal is to capture the city, which would give them control over much of Sudan's western region of Darfur [1][2][4].
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied Joint Forces continue to hold out against the RSF's persistent assaults, including shelling, drone strikes, and ground attacks [1][2][4]. However, the siege has had a severe impact on the city's residents.
Food and essential aid have been blocked from entering El-Fasher for over a year, causing starvation risks for hundreds of thousands of civilians. Food prices in the city have soared to over four times the national average, making it impossible for many families to afford basic necessities [1][2][3][4].
Displaced persons camps near El-Fasher, such as Abu Shouk and Zamzam, have also suffered from violence and famine conditions. Humanitarian organizations have called for a ceasefire or humanitarian pause to allow aid delivery, but while SAF has accepted a proposed pause, the RSF has rejected it [1][2][3][4].
This ongoing conflict has resulted in mounting civilian casualties in North Darfur, notably in clashes around El-Fasher and displaced camps. The broader conflict has contributed to massive displacement, regional instability, and worsening essential services across Darfur and Sudan [2][3].
Two days before the attack on El-Fasher, the RSF's political administration urged residents to evacuate to Qarni village. Civilians were also reportedly killed in Qarni village, adding to the growing number of casualties [1].
Al-Hadi Idris, the RSF-appointed Darfur governor, called for residents to leave El-Fasher and head to Qarni in a video address on Thursday [1]. The Emergency Lawyers reported that civilians were killed in Qarni village and that dozens more were injured in a paramilitary attack on the outskirts of El-Fasher city on Saturday [1].
The conflict has torn the country apart and created what the UN has called the world's largest hunger and displacement crises. Since April 2023, the war between the Sudanese army and the RSF has killed tens of thousands [1].
The UN has repeatedly warned of the plight of hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in El-Fasher, with virtually no aid or services. Families in El-Fasher have survived on animal feed, a shortage of which was announced last week [1].
In a related development, Tasis, an RSF-led political alliance, named leaders of a government based in South Darfur state capital Nyala late last month [1]. If the RSF captures El-Fasher, it will control all of Sudan's vast western region of Darfur, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis further.
References: [1] Associated Press. (2025, August 1). El-Fasher under siege as Sudan's conflict grinds on. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/1/el-fasher-under-siege-as-sudan-s-conflict-grinds-on [2] BBC News. (2025, August 1). Sudan's Darfur conflict: Civilians suffer as El-Fasher remains under siege. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-59345607 [3] Human Rights Watch. (2025, August 1). Sudan: Civilians at Risk in Darfur's El-Fasher. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/8/1/sudan-civilians-risk-darfur-s-el-fasher [4] Reuters. (2025, August 1). Sudan's El-Fasher under siege as conflict grinds on. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/01/sudans-el-fasher-under-siege-as-conflict-grinds-on
- The ongoing conflict in El-Fasher, Sudan, involving the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), has escalated into a severe humanitarian crisis, resonating in areas such as Malaysia's general news and politics, as well as international crime and justice discussions.
- The government of Malaysia might consider international law to address the crisis in El-Fasher, as the RSF's persistent assaults, including drone strikes and ground attacks, have led to food blockades, soaring food prices, and starvation risks for hundreds of thousands of civilians.
- In light of the RSF's rejection of ceasefires and continued violence against civilians in El-Fasher and displaced camps, Malaysia could advocate for a United Nations intervention, aiming to establish peace and secure aid delivery to alleviate the worsening situation in war-and-conflicts-affected regions of Sudan.
