The U.N. sent a humanitarian team into el-Fasher, Darfur, for the first time since RSF forces seized the city in October and found several hundred residents living in dire conditions with shortages of food, medicine and shelter. The team visited Saudi Hospital, where RSF fighters are accused of killing up to 460 patients and companions, and noted evidence suggesting bodies were disposed of in mass graves or burned. Local aid groups have begun limited relief, but health services remain largely paralyzed and humanitarian access is still highly constrained.
U.N. Team Enters El-Fasher After RSF Seizure — Finds Devastation and Hundreds Trapped
FILE - Sudanese refugee girls carry water supplies near a polling station in the refugee camp of Zamzam, on the outskirts of El Fasher, Darfur, Sudan, on April 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, File)
A U.N. humanitarian delegation made its first entry into el-Fasher in Sudan’s Darfur region since the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) overran the city in October, discovering a devastated urban landscape and several hundred residents living in dire conditions under RSF control.
Initial Assessment Reveals Severe Shortages
The hours-long mission provided the United Nations its first direct view of a city that had been largely cut off for roughly two months. The team reported that hundreds of people remain inside el-Fasher but lack adequate food, essential medicines, safe shelter and access to clean water and sanitation.
Scenes of Possible Mass Violence
Survivors among the more than 100,000 people who fled the city have told investigators that RSF fighters shot civilians in homes and on the streets, leaving bodies across parts of el-Fasher. Satellite imagery examined by independent analysts appears to show the disposal of bodies in mass graves or by burning. While investigations continue, witnesses and agencies have described the takeover as accompanied by widespread brutality.
“It was a tense mission because we’re going into what we don’t know … into a massive crime scene,” Denise Brown, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, said after the visit.
Hospital At Center Of Allegations
The U.N. team visited Saudi Hospital, a site where RSF fighters are accused of killing as many as 460 patients and their companions during the assault. Observers noted that the facility appears to have been cleaned up since the takeover, but Brown cautioned that removing physical traces does not erase survivors' accounts or the need for accountability.
Living Conditions And Local Economy
Those who remain are sheltering in abandoned buildings or makeshift structures made from plastic sheets, blankets and salvaged belongings; most locations lack visible toilets and safe drinking water. The team found a small open market selling limited produce such as tomatoes and onions, while many staples were unavailable or prohibitively expensive — the U.N. cited reports of rice reaching up to $100 per kilogram in parts of the city.
Humanitarian Efforts And Health System Collapse
Local aid groups have begun limited relief operations: Emergency Response Rooms (ERR) Nyala opened a charity kitchen in a school-turned-shelter and plans additional community kitchens across displacement centers. However, medical staff and aid providers say hospitals and clinics are functioning well below capacity. Mohamed Elsheikh, spokesperson for the Sudan Doctors Network, described el-Fasher’s health system as “completely paralyzed.”
Outlook And Accountability
The U.N. mission focused on identifying safe routes for humanitarian workers and conducting an initial assessment; more teams are expected to enter. The United States has accused the RSF of atrocities in Darfur, including charges of genocide, and human rights groups have alleged war crimes in el-Fasher and other seized towns. The regular Sudanese military has also faced accusations of rights violations during the broader conflict that erupted in 2023.
What Comes Next: Further on-the-ground assessments, sustained humanitarian access, medical evacuations for the injured, and impartial investigations into alleged crimes will be necessary to establish accountability and deliver urgent relief.
