Al-Fashir, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur, is drawing global attention as it faces a potential crisis. Reports suggest that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), stationed around the city for months, are gathering troops for a possible assault.
This raises concerns about a humanitarian disaster, as Al-Fashir shelters many who are fleeing conflict.
Previously, Al-Fashir had stayed out of the regional conflict, forming a neutral force to protect the displaced. However, some factions joined the Sudanese army, sparking fighting nearby.
There are worries about tribal conflict spreading, especially since neighboring areas share similar tribes.
Global Concerns Rise Over Al-Fashir Crisis
The US has urged an immediate ceasefire in and around Al-Fashir, calling on both the army and the RSF to return to negotiations in Jeddah and end the year-long conflict.
Concerns over an imminent attack on Al-Fashir were voiced by Matthew Miller, a spokesperson for the US State Department, who demanded an immediate halt to assaults on the city.
The UN warned that the Rapid Support Forces have surrounded the city, indicating a potential assault. It highlighted the grave consequences an attack would have on civilians in an already famine-threatened area.
The UN's Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, is working to ease tensions in Al-Fashir.
UN chief Antonio Guterres also reiterated his call for parties in Sudan to refrain from fighting in the Al-Fashir area.
Al-Fashir is a key aid center in Darfur, hosting many refugees. While the city itself has been spared from battles, nearby villages have faced clashes and shelling since mid-April.
RSF Talks about ‘Political Vendetta’
Imran Abdullah Hassan, an advisor to the RSF commander, rejected accusations on Thursday that his forces had burned villages in Al-Fashir, calling them politically driven.
He stated that his forces are ready to face justice if any wrongdoing against civilians is proven.
“These claims come from remnants of the former regime and political groups aiming to stir conflict,” said Hassan, adding that they failed to incite civil war and are now spreading false accusations of crimes against civilians in northern Darfur.
Amin al-Majzoub, a military expert, warns that the fighting in Sudan could worsen tensions in Al-Fashir and neighboring regions. He also fears this could prolong Sudan’s crisis, potentially allowing terrorist groups to enter the country.
According to al-Majzoub, the ongoing conflict in Sudan threatens the stability of neighboring countries.
“The military’s plan suggests they won’t abandon areas controlled by the RSF, which could lead allied armed groups to engage in wider conflict, whether in Khartoum, Al-Jazeera, or Darfur,” explained al-Majzoub.
“This could even jeopardize the 2020 Juba Peace Agreement if armed groups fragment and collapse,” he added.
Fierce Battle Looms
Sadiq Ali Hassan, head of the Darfur Lawyers Association, warns that if the war reaches Al-Fashir, it will be the most severe yet, with devastating consequences for all of Sudan.
He urged joint forces, including the army and armed groups, to work together to protect Darfur and Sudan.
However, Hassan noted that these forces have failed in their duties since the October 2021 coup, becoming divided along tribal and regional lines.
Hassan explained that the movements that signed the Juba Peace Agreement are watching the war cautiously to protect their own interests, ignoring the people of Darfur.
Despite declaring neutrality, some groups have joined either the army or the RSF, driven more by their own interests than by concern for Darfur.
Hassan also notes the existence of other armed local groups ready to defend against potential threats, along with the Sudan Liberation Army Movement led by Abdul Wahid al-Nur, which didn’t sign the peace agreement and stays neutral.
These groups are concentrated in and around Al-Fashir, and if war erupts there, it’ll be the most intense conflict among all ongoing battles in Sudan’s other cities and states.
