A catastrophic drone strike on a mosque in El-Fasher, Sudan, has claimed the lives of at least 78 individuals, a senior medical official has informed the BBC. The early morning attack on Friday, which occurred during prayer services, has been attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), though the group has yet to claim responsibility.
This tragic event unfolds amidst the brutal civil war that has engulfed Sudan for over two years between the RSF and the national army. The RSF is currently pushing to gain full control of El-Fasher, a city of over 300,000 civilians, which remains the final bastion for the army in the Darfur region.
Eyewitness accounts from residents describe the horrifying moment the drone targeted the mosque, causing immediate fatalities among worshippers.
The medical source confirmed the death toll of 78, with approximately 20 others injured. Efforts to recover bodies from the extensive rubble of the destroyed building are ongoing.
Verified footage obtained by BBC Verify shows the aftermath, with around 30 shrouded bodies laid out beside the mosque, located in the western part of El-Fasher.
The RSF has recently escalated its offensive against El-Fasher, which has been under siege for over a year. Reports indicate significant attacks on Abu Shouk, a camp housing displaced individuals near the city. Satellite imagery analyzed by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab suggests that RSF units have established control over a large portion of the camp.
Furthermore, satellite data indicates the RSF’s presence within the headquarters of the Joint Forces, an alliance of armed groups supporting the Sudanese army. This compound, situated in a former UN facility, is considered a crucial defensive point. While BBC verification confirms RSF fighters inside the complex, the extent of their control remains unconfirmed.
These developments place key infrastructure, including El-Fasher’s airport and the army’s division headquarters, within the RSF’s firing range. Experts from the HRL warn that El-Fasher could fall to the RSF without immediate army reinforcements.
The potential fall of the city to the RSF would solidify their dominance over western Sudan, effectively creating a partition with the army controlling the north and east. Concerns are mounting among analysts and activists regarding the safety of civilians remaining in El-Fasher, many belonging to ethnic groups perceived as enemies by the RSF.
A recent United Nations report highlighted the escalating ethnic dimension of the conflict, noting that both sides are retaliating against individuals accused of collaboration. The UN and other international bodies have also documented systematic RSF campaigns of ethnic cleansing against non-Arab populations in territories they occupy. Doctors Without Borders has reported instances where RSF troops spoke of plans to ‘clean El Fasher’ of its non-Arab residents, though the RSF has previously denied involvement in “tribal conflicts”.
More BBC stories on the war in Sudan:
- Inside Khartoum, a city left in ruins after two years of war
- ‘Our children are dying’: Rare footage shows plight of civilians in besieged Sudan city
- A pregnant woman’s diary of escape from war zone: ‘I prayed the baby wouldn’t come’
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