RSF Storms Market Market and Prison in Death Trap

The Sudanese Paravilian Fast Support Group (RSF) storms the besieged city of El-Fasher on Friday in a battle that rages for seven hours, witnesses told the BBC.

RSF fighters were able to capture a livestock market, prison and military base as they broadcast videos of themselves, touring empty warehouses.

For the first time, RSF fighters entered the city in large numbers, as the siege of El -Fasher – a continuing battle to control the western city of Darfur – began 15 months ago.

On Saturday morning, the army avenged and managed to push RSF back beyond El-Fasher. But Matilde Wu of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) described the city as a “death trap”.

“What we hear are stories of horror and terror and weekly firing, attacks on civil infrastructure,” ” D -j vu said to the BBC Newshour programS

“There are local volunteers – they really fight, risk their lives every day to try to provide some food for people who are most starving.”

Sidig Omar, a 65-year-old El-Fasher resident, told the BBC that RSF entered the city on Friday from the south and southwest.

RSF, whose fighters gather in trenches dug around the city, often attack El-Fasher. According to the army, this is their 220th offensive.

But this time, during a battle that raged for seven hours, they were able to take control of the city market for livestock, which has been closed to a business for several months.

From here, they broadcast videos of their fighters, walking around empty warehouses. They also briefly held the scarf prison and the headquarters of the Central Reserve Forces of the military.

On Saturday morning, the army avenges and managed to push RSF back beyond the city borders, saying it has inflicted “heavy losses” to the paramilitary group.

But G -n Omar said the RSF firing – the use of drones – continued throughout Saturday.

“One of the shells hit a civil vehicle near my house, which led to the death of five civilians that were inside the car,” he said.

Sudan immersed himself in a civil war in April 2023 after awakening a vicious fight for power between the army and RSF.

This led to hunger and claims for genocide in the Western Darfur region.

More than 150,000 people have died in the conflict throughout the country, and about 12 million have fled their homes in what the United Nations called the world’s largest humanitarian crisis in the world.

El-Fasher is the only city in Darfur to now be controlled by the military. But the eclipse of communications makes it difficult to confirm the information from the siege city, since only those with satellite internet connections are for contact.

The last RSF offensive followed weeks of artillery and drones attacks. The group recently started using large drone planes.

The army accuses the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of financing RSF, a statement that denies oil -rich state in the Gulf of Persian.

The attack this weekend comes three months after the RSF exceeds the RSF Zamzam camp on the outskirts of El-Fasher. It was the largest moving camp in the country and many of its inhabitants either fled to El-Fashir, or tried to reach Tavila, 60 km (about 40 miles away).

D -Ja Vu, a NRC intercession manager in Sudan, said the Tavila team continues to hear horrific stories as people are desperately trying to find safety.

“People who run at night on the donkeys – trying to escape from armed men directed at them may be raped,” she said.

“We take people who arrive in tray that are thirsty who have not eaten weeks.”

Nearly 379,000 people have already fled to Tavila, where they are facing a cholera outbreak and the expected heavy rain is likely to destroy improvised shelters.

This week, the residents of El-Fasher told the BBC Arabic Emergency Radio Production more about their terrible situation.

“We are suffering deeply and everyone around us are facing the same difficulties,” a man said.

“No bread, no food and no work. Even if you have money, there is nothing to buy in the markets.

“When someone becomes ill, we cannot find medicine or treatment.

“There are no medication in hospitals. The situation here is really terrible.”

Another man said that until recently the residents had relied on something called “Ombaz”, food waste left after the peanut oil is pressed.

“We are in a very critical situation,” he said.

“Even Ombaz is no longer available as the peanut factories stopped working.

“We call for help – please urgently need help.”

D -Ju Wu heads the apathy of the international community when it came to engaging with warring parties and their supporters.

“The funding is completely decreasing and the consequence is that you can see it on the spot,” she said.

“People (in El-Fasher) just rely on the solidarity of others.

“If they have some food, they will share it with each other.”

Last week International Criminal Court (ICC) stated that there is “Reasonable grounds” to believe in war crimes and crimes against humanity are committed in DarfurS

The allegations of war crimes have continued to exist in the last two years, and in January 2025 the United States has determined that RSF and allied militia have carried out a genocide against the Nearabian population in the region.