UN urges safe passage for civilians in war-torn Sudan city of El- Fasher

Sudanese paramilitary forces have captured a crucial military base in El Fasher, the army's last stronghold in Darfur, dealing a significant blow to the military and escalating the humanitarian crisis in a city where hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped under siege.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday took control of a strategic military base in North Darfur's capital, marking a pivotal moment in the more than year-long conflict.

El Fasher represented the final major bastion of the Sudanese military in the western region, and its potential fall could redraw the nation's territorial control and risk further fragmentation.

Trapped civilians and pleas for safe passage

The United Nations has reported over 26,000 people newly displaced from the city, which has been at the heart of the conflict for over a year.

Denise Brown, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, made an urgent appeal: "The UN calls on the RSF to allow safe passage for them to leave...

They need to demonstrate respect for international humanitarian law and let those people leave. Alternatively, they need to let us in."

She noted that more than 128 aid workers have been killed since the war began, making security guarantees essential for any relief operations.

Mounting humanitarian catastrophe

Medical organizations report dozens of civilian deaths and the devastation of health facilities in recent clashes, though precise casualty figures remain unavailable.

The city has experienced extensive destruction, leaving hundreds of thousands trapped without access to adequate aid or safe escape routes, compounding what has become one of the world's most severe humanitarian disasters.