Fierce clashes erupted Thursday between General al-Burhan’s army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher, as RSF units advanced toward the “Super Camp” southwest of the city, eyewitnesses said.
Verified videos posted by RSF fighters showed four-wheel-drive combat vehicles moving inside the compound, the former headquarters of the UN–African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID). Imagery reviewed by media indicated RSF personnel in and around the site, with trenches, tents and several burned vehicles visible.
The Super Camp lies roughly four kilometres from the SAF’s General Command in central El Fasher and is linked by a small bridge to the city’s main military barracks.
An SAF commander, speaking on condition of anonymity, denied RSF claims that they had reached the General Command, saying the situation was “under control.” He said special operations were conducted in Al-Nasrat, Al-Shorfa, Al-Qubba and Awlad al-Reef, and that defences had been reinforced around the Abushok camp north of the city.
However, another informed source told Darfur24 that the RSF had seized parts of Abushok camp—specifically blocks 16 and 17—and were massed around the Naivasha market. He added that RSF fighters had also pushed into neighbourhoods northeast of the army command, including Al-Nasrat, Al-Shorfa and Al-Qubba.
Humanitarian strain deepens
A medical official at the North Darfur Ministry of Health described conditions as “extremely dire,” saying military and police hospitals were no longer functioning and the Saudi Hospital was struggling with staff shortages. The official confirmed the deaths of several health workers, including a nutrition counsellor at El Fasher Children’s Hospital, a laboratory assistant at the Saudi Hospital and another hospital employee. Despite the risks, medical teams continued working under heavy artillery fire.
The RSF has kept El Fasher under siege since April 2024 in a bid to capture the city—the last major SAF stronghold in Darfur—after taking control of SAF garrisons in Nyala, Zalingei, El Geneina and El Daein last year.
