El-Fasher: A Year After Fall, City Remains Devastated

El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, remains largely deserted a year after its capture by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 26, 2025. The city has been devastated by a violent conflict that began in April 2023 between the RSF and the Sudanese army.

The United Nations mandated an independent international fact-finding mission, which concluded on February 19, 2026, that there were 'distinctive signs of genocide' in the region. Despite this, it remains impossible to provide an accurate human cost of the conflict.

Humanitarian workers, observers, and survivors all describe El-Fasher as a 'ghost town'. The once-thriving city is now marked by widespread destruction and a near-total absence of its former residents, who have fled due to the intense fighting and atrocities committed during the siege and capture of the city.

The siege of El-Fasher lasted for several months, with the RSF eventually seizing control. The intense conflict has left deep scars on the population, with many residents forced to flee their homes and seek refuge elsewhere.

The situation in El-Fasher highlights the broader humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region, where ongoing conflict has displaced millions of people and left countless others in desperate need of aid. The UN and other international organizations have called for urgent action to address the dire situation and provide assistance to those affected.