Sudan’s paramilitary forces seize army’s last Darfur stronghold, kill civilians PHOTO/VIDEO

Sudanese paramilitary forces have seized a key military base in El-Fasher, the army’s last stronghold in the war-torn Darfur region, in what activists and aid groups described as a major setback for the military in the conflict that has ravaged Sudan since 2023.

Medical organizations reported dozens of civilians killed and widespread destruction of health infrastructure as fierce clashes erupted across El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. The city has long been at the heart of the war, with hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped amid relentless fighting, Associated Press reports.

The war began in April 2023, when tensions between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into open conflict in Khartoum and across the country. The fall of El-Fasher could mark a dangerous turning point, potentially signaling another fragmentation of Sudan more than a decade after the creation of South Sudan.

Footage circulating online showed RSF fighters celebrating inside the seized base. In one video, RSF deputy commander Abdulrahim Dagalo urged his forces not to loot or harm civilians. However, other videos showed fighters beating and shooting people as they fled, with some detainees being racially abused.

Military officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed that troops had vacated the base on Sunday and retreated under heavy artillery fire. Fighting reportedly continued around the airfield and western parts of the city, with no visible air support for government forces.

Satellite imagery analyzed by the Associated Press and the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab confirmed extensive damage to the army’s 6th Division headquarters and signs of close-quarter battles.

The Sudan Doctor Network condemned the assault as a “heinous massacre,” reporting looting and the destruction of hospitals and medical facilities. The Darfur Network for Human Rights said the RSF detained over 1,000 civilians, describing the campaign as “systematic targeting” and possible war crimes.

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher voiced “deep alarm” over reports of mass casualties and starvation, warning that “hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped and terrified — shelled, starving, and without access to food, health care or safety.”

The conflict has killed over 40,000 people and displaced 14 million, plunging parts of Sudan into famine and prompting International Criminal Court investigations into alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

By Vafa Guliyeva