Siege of El Fasher | |||||||||
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Part of Sudanese civil war (2023–present) and Darfur campaign | |||||||||
The status of El Fasher and Tawila | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
SLM-Minnawi (from 16 November)[2]
Sudan Liberation Movement – El Foka SLM – al-Nur Sudan Justice and Equality Forces | Rapid Support Forces | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Nimir Mohammed Abdelrahman[3] Minni Minawi[4] Babikir Musa †[5] Gibril Ibrahim El Sadig El Foka Abdul Wahid al-Nur |
Ali Yaqoub Gibril †[6] Abdul Rahman Qarn Shata † Abu Al Qasim-Ali Musa †[7] Osman Mohamed Hamid Mohamed[8] | ||||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||||
Unknown |
SAF Claim[9] 80+ killed Dozens wounded 20 vehicles destroyed 10 vehicles captured | ||||||||
93+ civilians killed, 716+ injured (after 10 May 2024 only) 60,000+ displaced[10][11] |
The siege of El Fasher is an ongoing battle for control of the town of El Fasher in North Darfur during the Sudan conflict.[12] The first battle for the city took place between 15 and 20 April 2023, and resulted in a ceasefire that held until 12 May. Clashes broke out again between 12 and 29 May, and ended with a more stable ceasefire that lasted until August. By September, the city had become a haven for refugees across the region, without enough food and water.
By December 2023, the United Nations is preparing to withdraw its political mission from Sudan. Nathaniel Raymond, a UN human rights investigator, said "if El Fasher falls, the RSF will be able to complete the genocide begun by the Janjaweed through ethnic cleansing of those they have not displaced or killed so far".[13]