Table of Contents
- Deadly Strike Hits Sleeping Civilians in El Fasher
- The Siege of El Fasher: A City Under Fire
- Eyewitness Accounts: Horror in the Rubble
- Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Darfur
- International Response and Calls for Action
- Sources
Sudan Shelter Bombing: Dozens Killed as RSF Strikes El Fasher Displacement Center
In one of the deadliest attacks of Sudan’s two-year civil war, at least 57 civilians—including women and children—were killed when paramilitary forces launched drone and artillery strikes on a makeshift shelter in the besieged city of El Fasher. The attack occurred late Friday as hundreds of displaced people slept in classrooms converted into emergency housing on a university campus.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group locked in a brutal conflict with Sudan’s national army, have tightened their grip on El Fasher for over a year. This latest strike on the Dar al-Arqam displacement center has drawn widespread condemnation and renewed fears of a full-scale massacre in the last major city in Darfur still resisting RSF control.
The Siege of El Fasher: A City Under Fire
El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has become a symbol of resistance—and desperation. With around 260,000 civilians trapped in a shrinking pocket of safety, the city faces constant shelling, food shortages, and collapsing medical infrastructure.
Since the civil war erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, Darfur has seen some of the worst violence, echoing the atrocities of the early 2000s. El Fasher remains the only major urban center in the region not yet captured by the RSF—but that could change soon.
Eyewitness Accounts: Horror in the Rubble
Dr. Suleman, a senior physician at Al Saudi Hospital who asked to be identified by one name for safety, visited the strike site early Saturday. He described scenes of utter devastation: bloodied bodies pulled from collapsed classrooms, children buried under concrete, and survivors screaming for missing relatives.
“They were asleep. They thought the university grounds would be safe. Now, entire families are gone.”
Footage shared by locals shows caved-in roofs, shattered windows, and makeshift stretchers carrying the wounded through dust-choked streets. Many victims had taken refuge in underground bunkers—but even those offered little protection against heavy artillery.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Darfur
Aid agencies report that food, clean water, and medical supplies in El Fasher are nearly exhausted. With supply routes cut off and airstrikes intensifying, humanitarian access has become almost impossible.
“This isn’t just a military siege—it’s a slow-motion starvation campaign,” said one UN official who requested anonymity. Cholera and malnutrition are spreading rapidly, especially among children under five.
International Response and Calls for Action
The United Nations and African Union have issued urgent statements condemning the attack, but concrete action remains limited. Western powers, preoccupied with other global crises, have been criticized for their muted response to Sudan’s collapse.
Activists are calling for an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian corridors, and accountability for war crimes. Yet with no peace talks in sight and both sides entrenched, civilians in El Fasher remain in the crosshairs.
Key Facts: El Fasher Shelter Strike
| Location | Dar al-Arqam displacement center, El Fasher, North Darfur, Sudan |
|---|---|
| Date of Attack | October 11, 2025 (late Friday) |
| Confirmed Fatalities | 57+ |
| Injured | Approx. 43 |
| Attacking Force | Rapid Support Forces (RSF) |
| Civilians Trapped in City | ~260,000 |
