Sudanese armed forces, supported by allied fighters, successfully repelled a large-scale assault by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, inflicting significant losses on the paramilitary group.
The RSF launched the attack from multiple directions after their 48-hour ultimatum demanding government troops withdraw from the city expired. The defending forces, comprising the Sudanese army, police, and other groups under the Joint Force banner, engaged RSF fighters who advanced with numerous military vehicles from areas such as Golo in the southwest and Milit in the north.
Eyewitnesses reported airstrikes by the Sudanese army targeting RSF positions on the city’s outskirts, with heavy smoke seen rising from the southwest and northeast. Lieutenant Colonel Ahmed Hussein Mustafa, the Joint Force spokesperson, stated that over 400 RSF fighters were killed, more than 25 vehicles destroyed, and 30 others captured during the clashes.
The defending forces also thwarted an RSF attempt to cut off El Fasher’s water supply by protecting the Golo reservoir, a critical resource for the city. Accusations were made against the United Arab Emirates for allegedly providing logistical and military aid to the RSF, with calls for international intervention.
Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minawi affirmed ongoing monitoring of RSF movements and warned of a strong response to any future attacks. El Fasher remains the last major city in Darfur not under RSF control as the conflict between the paramilitary group and the Sudanese army, ongoing since April 2023, continues to displace millions and exacerbate the humanitarian crisis.