Sudans RSF Seizes El-Fasher, North Darfur Capital Amid Conflict

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, in late October 2025, according to reports from Al Jazeera. The city’s capture is a development in the ongoing conflict in Sudan and has prompted reports of violence and civilian displacement in the region.

According to an Al Jazeera report published on Oct. 31, the seizure of el-Fasher was followed by allegations of mass killings and torture. The report did not provide specific details on the scale of the alleged incidents or name the sources of the allegations.

The situation has resulted in civilians fleeing the city. A photograph distributed by Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Oct. 28 showed a displaced person who had fled from el-Fasher to the nearby area of Tawila.

El-Fasher had been a key urban center in the Darfur region, which has been central to the conflict that began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. The city served as a major hub for humanitarian operations and had absorbed a significant number of people displaced from other parts of Darfur.

The Al Jazeera report noted that unspecified experts had previously warned about the potential for violence if the city were to be captured by either of the warring factions.

Prior to these events, el-Fasher was the last of the five Darfur state capitals that had not been under the control of the Rapid Support Forces. The city’s status had been a focal point for international observers monitoring the conflict. The recent events shift the dynamics of control within the broader Darfur region.

The conflict across Sudan has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, with United Nations agencies and other non-governmental organizations repeatedly reporting on widespread displacement, food shortages, and lack of medical services throughout the country. No official statements from the RSF or the SAF concerning the events in el-Fasher were available at the time of this report.