A horrifying attack unfolded early Friday in El Fasher, a besieged city in Sudan, as paramilitary forces launched a missile into a mosque during morning prayers, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people, according to local medical personnel and aid workers.
This strike marks one of the deadliest incidents in recent months within El Fasher, a city in the western Darfur region. Paramilitary groups have significantly intensified their brutal, nearly 18-month siege, relentlessly bombing residential areas where tens of thousands of desperate, hunger-stricken civilians have sought refuge.
Dr. Suleman, a senior physician at the nearby Al Saudi hospital, reported that at least 84 bodies, including women and children, were recovered from the mosque’s wreckage. He described the scene as “harrowing beyond description” after personally visiting the site.
Understanding the Conflict in Darfur
An embedded map illustrates the strategic location of El Fasher within the Darfur region of Sudan, highlighting its significance in the ongoing civil war.
The doctor confirmed that the mosque was crowded with worshipers when the missile struck. Videos shared on social media, depicting bloodied bodies trapped beneath rubble and twisted steel, accurately portray the horrific aftermath. “I saw all of this and more,” he stated.
Among those tragically killed was Dr. Omar Selik, a physician who had courageously shared insights with a news organization just last week about the dire conditions faced by an estimated 260,000 civilians trapped in El Fasher. They are struggling to survive constant bombardment with critically low food supplies. His death was confirmed by a relative and by Dr. Suleman.
Dr. Selik had previously described how malnourished children were forced to eat food typically reserved for camels and sand donkeys. During a video call, he illustrated the crisis by showing his own meal—a plate of the same sludgy paste. “There’s nothing else,” he lamented.
The siege of El Fasher is being orchestrated by the Rapid Support Forces (R.S.F.), a paramilitary group engaged in a fierce civil war against Sudan’s military since April 2023. Following their expulsion from the capital, Khartoum, in March, the R.S.F. retreated to Darfur, their traditional stronghold and the origin of many of their fighters.
El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, represents the R.S.F.’s final obstacle to achieving complete control over the entire region.
Life Under Siege in El Fasher
An image depicts residents in El Fasher, Sudan, waiting for free meals amidst the siege by paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which began in April 2024.
After the recent news story was published, Dr. Selik sent a message noting the increased intensity of R.S.F. bombing near his home, located less than a mile from Sudanese military positions. “Now we are under attack again,” he wrote. “Too much killing of people.”
Since May, R.S.F. fighters have constructed a 20-mile-long earthen wall, partially encircling El Fasher. They have effectively blocked the entry of food and medicine into the city and have reportedly beaten or killed civilians attempting to flee.
U.N. human rights investigators confirmed earlier this month that the R.S.F.’s actions in El Fasher constitute crimes against humanity.
A recent report by the Yale School of Public Health, based on satellite imagery and other evidence, indicates that the R.S.F. now controls most of the city. Researchers also noted ongoing heavy fighting around a former U.N. peacekeeping base, now used by ethnic militias allied with the Sudanese military.
The R.S.F.’s offensive is supported by advanced, Chinese-made armed drones, some of which were visible in satellite images captured over El Fasher on Thursday.
The United Arab Emirates, a key international backer of the R.S.F., has reportedly supplied the group with artillery, medical support, and Chinese-made drones, some of which have been deployed in the El Fasher siege. The U.A.E., however, denies any involvement in backing either faction in the conflict.