According to a Sudanese military source, RSF fighters attacked army positions near Shala military prison southwest of El Fasher on Friday night. The Sudanese army said it repelled the assault and retained control of its defensive positions. Artillery exchanges resumed Saturday morning, with the army targeting RSF posts east of the city and the RSF shelling army positions near El Fasher airport.

The Sudanese military claimed it inflicted “heavy losses” on the RSF and fully secured all sectors of the city. However, casualty numbers have not been independently verified.

El Fasher’s Resistance Committees said the situation had calmed slightly by Saturday but warned that the city’s population remained on edge amid ongoing military presence and shelling.

El Fasher Under Siege Amid Humanitarian Collapse

El Fasher has been under RSF siege for over a year and is one of the most vital locations for humanitarian operations across Darfur’s five states. Since May 2024, the city has seen continuous clashes despite repeated calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors.

The broader conflict between the Sudanese army and RSF began in April 2023 and has led to over 20,000 deaths and the displacement of nearly 15 million people, according to U.N. and local sources. Efforts by the international community to broker a ceasefire have repeatedly collapsed.

The situation in El Fasher has become symbolic of the country’s worsening civil war, as both sides continue to escalate their campaigns with little regard for civilian suffering.