United Nations Calls for Safe Passage for “Terrified” Civilians in Sudan’s El-Fasher

The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, has called for the creation of a safe corridor for civilians trapped in the Sudanese city of El-Fasher, after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on Sunday that they had gained full control of the city.

In a statement, Fletcher said:
> “As fighters advance through the city and escape routes are cut off, hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped and terrified, under bombardment, starving, and deprived of food, healthcare, and safety.”
The RSF declared on Sunday that it had taken control of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State in western Sudan — the last major city previously held by the Sudanese Armed Forces — following a siege that lasted more than a year.

The army has not yet issued an official statement confirming the developments in El-Fasher.

Cameron Hudson, an expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, commented that the RSF aims to consolidate control over territory to strengthen its political leverage in future negotiations.

He explained:

> “Full control of Darfur serves that ambition, and from this perspective, capturing El-Fasher carries deep political significance.”