AL‑FASHIR, Sudan, Oct. 20, 2025 — Intensifying bombardments by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the North Darfur capital of al‑Fashir have left at least 57 people dead, among them 22 women and 17 children, according to the Sudan Doctors’ Network. The attacks struck a displacement shelter and surrounding neighborhoods, compounding the humanitarian crisis in the city, which remains under siege.
Civilians Under Siege
Residents describe a city where daily survival has become perilous. Families have dug makeshift bunkers to shield themselves from drone strikes and artillery fire. Movement during daylight hours has largely ceased, with civilians venturing out only at night to bury the dead or search for scarce food and water. Aid groups warn that famine is tightening its grip, as al‑Fashir is the Sudanese army’s last stronghold in Darfur, cut off from regular humanitarian relief.
Pattern of Attacks
The latest assault follows a series of strikes on displacement camps, clinics, and mosques, which rights groups say may amount to war crimes. The United Nations has expressed alarm, noting that international humanitarian law requires the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. The RSF, locked in a two‑and‑a‑half‑year war with Sudan’s armed forces, has denied deliberately targeting civilians, though evidence from local monitors contradicts those claims.
Humanitarian Alarm
The World Health Organization and aid agencies report that hospitals in al‑Fashir are overwhelmed, with dwindling supplies of medicine and fuel. International observers warn that without urgent humanitarian access, the city could face mass starvation and further mass casualties.
Outlook
As the siege tightens, analysts fear al‑Fashir could become the site of one of the conflict’s deadliest episodes. Calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors have so far gone unheeded, leaving civilians to endure relentless bombardment with little prospect of immediate relief.
Summary: Drone and artillery strikes by Sudan’s RSF have killed 57 civilians in al‑Fashir, forcing residents to live in bunkers, restrict movement, and bury victims under cover of night. The attacks underscore the worsening humanitarian disaster in Darfur, where international agencies warn of famine and potential war crimes.
Sources: Al Jazeera; Reuters; Sky News; UPI; UN News Aljazeera US News Sky News UPI.
