Sudanese army clashes with RSF forces in el-Fasher and Bara amid ongoing civil war.

The ongoing conflict in Sudan has entered a critical phase, with violence escalating across key urban centers, including el-Fasher and Bara. As the humanitarian situation deteriorates alarmingly, international attention is necessary to support the millions of civilians affected by the warfare. The complexity of this conflict highlights the urgent need for a renewed commitment to peace and humanitarian assistance in the region.

Fighting has intensified across Sudan as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group, launched aggressive assaults on the besieged city of el-Fasher in North Darfur and the city of Bara in North Kordofan. Reports indicated that the RSF attacked Bara, located approximately 350 kilometers southwest of Khartoum, from multiple fronts on Saturday morning, prompting artillery retaliation from the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), according to a military source.

Bara is one of the largest urban regions still under army control near the western front line with the RSF; however, it is currently encircled by fighters from the paramilitary group. Following the assault on North Kordofan’s second-largest city, communications networks were disrupted. In el-Fasher, clashes persisted, with visible columns of smoke rising over the provincial capital due to ongoing shelling and gunfire.

The RSF released videos on Friday claiming they had taken control of the North Darfur governor’s residence in el-Fasher and positioned themselves near the SAF’s 6th Infantry Division headquarters, which serves as the army’s local command center. RSF fighters in the footage indicated intentions to advance toward the city center.

As the conflict escalates, the humanitarian situation has reached catastrophic levels, with medical professionals sounding alarms about the dire conditions facing civilians. Dr. Razan Al-Mahdi, a spokesperson for the Sudan Doctors Network, noted that the crisis in el-Fasher has “surpassed all comprehension.” Reports indicate that as many as three children are lost daily due to malnutrition, disease, and a severe lack of medical and humanitarian resources.

Four United Nations agencies recently warned of imminent death for thousands of children, as more than 250,000 civilians—half of whom are children—remain cut off from vital food and healthcare due to a prolonged 16-month siege in el-Fasher. Health facilities have effectively collapsed, leaving severely malnourished children without necessary treatment. Save the Children reported that at least 17 children were killed and 22 injured in el-Fasher during October alone.

The fighting in el-Fasher escalated again on Thursday, as the RSF initiated what the SAF characterized as a major offensive from five different directions, although the army reported successful defense against the attack. Amidst this violence, drone strikes targeting civilian infrastructure have surged dramatically. UN expert Radhouane Nouicer expressed serious concerns over the increasing use of drones by both parties, noting that RSF attacks on power infrastructure have caused widespread electricity outages and injured several workers.

For four consecutive days, RSF drones have targeted Khartoum International Airport, a site the army had hoped to reopen after regaining control of the capital in March. The reopening is now indefinitely postponed. The conflict, which commenced in April 2023, has tragically resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands, with 12 million displaced and 30 million individuals requiring urgent aid, making it the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

To address the escalating situation, Sudan’s Foreign Minister Mohieldin Salem visited Washington, D.C., this past weekend for discussions focused on peace and humanitarian cooperation. While there were reports of indirect negotiations between the SAF and RSF, the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied such claims. Recently, U.S. President Joe Biden has reiterated commitments to intensify efforts aimed at ending the war in Sudan, although his foreign policy priorities have been concentrated on securing a tenuous ceasefire in Gaza and addressing the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has overshadowed Sudan in the global arena.

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