Sudan army withdraws from El Fasher as RSF seizes control
The remarks mark Abdel's first confirmation that the army lost control of the strategic city in western Darfur, which has been under RSF siege since May 2024, amid ongoing clashes that began in April 2023.
Sudan's Sovereignty Council leader, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has announced the withdrawal of the country's army from El Fasher, following the city's capture by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
This follows the RSF's declaration on Sunday that it had "liberated" the army's 6th Division headquarters in El Fasher after fierce battles, calling the operation a decisive victory that signalled the fall of the Sudanese army's final foothold in the region.
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According to the RSF, its fighters inflicted heavy losses on the Sudanese army during the offensive, claiming thousands of soldiers were killed and extensive military equipment destroyed before the base was fully captured.
"We have agreed to withdraw the army from El Fasher to a safer location," Abdel said on national television on Monday, according to TRT Afrika, adding that his forces will retaliate and fight until the land is purified.
The remarks mark Abdel's first confirmation that the army lost control of the strategic city in western Darfur, which has been under RSF siege since May 2024, amid ongoing clashes that began in April 2023.
The RSF now holds all five Darfur state capitals, reinforcing its parallel administration in Nyala, South Darfur, while the army's presence is largely restricted to northern, eastern, and central Sudan.
According to the United Nations (UN) migration agency, more than 26,000 residents fled the city on Sunday alone, moving to surrounding areas or to Tawila, 70 kilometres west of the city.
Overall, over a million people have been displaced since the outbreak of fighting, while around 260,000 civilians, including thousands of children, remain trapped without access to aid.
On Monday, the global body urged safe passage for civilians trapped in El Fasher.
"With fighters pushing further into the city and escape routes cut off, hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped and terrified – shelled, starving, and without access to food, healthcare, or safety," UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said.
"Ceasefire now, in El Fasher, in Darfur and throughout Sudan. Civilians must be allowed safe passage and be able to access aid. Those fleeing to safer areas must be able to do so safely and in dignity."
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