7/31/2025–|Last update: 23:50 (Mecca time)
Al-Fasher- Military sources reported that the Sudanese army and the joint force of the movements of armed struggle and the popular resistance managed, on Thursday afternoon, to repel a massive attack by the Rapid Support Forces on the city of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, in one of the fiercest field battles since the beginning of the siege imposed on the city in early 2024.
The attack – according to military sources, spoke to Al -Jazeera Net – killed dozens, but these figures were not confirmed from independent sources, in addition to the destruction of 5 combat vehicles and the seizure of a vehicle loaded with ammunition and heavy weapons.
The sources said that the government forces “dealt professionally with the attack that began at dawn with intense artillery shelling, followed by an attempt to penetrate from the northeastern and western axes of the city.”
Field move
Colonel Ahmed Hussein Mustafa, a spokesman for the joint force of the movements of the armed struggle, said in a statement to Al -Jazeera Net, that the attack came with the support of what is known as “Sudan Constituent Alliance Forces”, which pushed its elements within the rapid support formations in an attempt to control the northern entrances to the city.
Colonel Hussein added that their field units have been monitoring the moves since Wednesday night and managed to thwart the attack before any penetration was achieved.
He emphasized that they destroyed 5 mechanisms and seized one vehicle, in addition to military equipment that was intended to use in the densely populated neighborhoods. He also stressed that Al -Fasher will not be left for what he described as militias, and that the final word belongs to the field.
Diplomatic conflict
This military escalation comes in the wake of the stumbling of diplomatic efforts, after the cancellation of the meeting of the Quartet Committee (the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the Emirates) decided in Washington due to differences between members about the approach to resolving the crisis.
According to diplomatic sources, the conflict of positions led to the postponement of the meeting, which prompted the Rapid Support Forces, according to local observers, to intensify their military operations on the ground, as it targeted the city of El Fasher with artillery shelling and intense wild attack during Wednesday and Thursday.
Humanitarian crisis
Despite the success of the joint forces in repelling the attack, the civilian neighborhoods were not spared the repercussions of the battle; Where random shells fell on the neighborhoods and markets of Abu Shok, in addition to the Abu Shok camp for the displaced north of Al -Fasher, killing and wounding a number of civilians, destroying stores and service facilities in the market, which is considered the only commercial port that works partially in the city.
In this context, Suleiman Arbab, a resident of the Abu Shok neighborhood, told Al -Jazeera Net: “A woman in her twenties was killed by the shelling of the neighborhood, and 3 others were wounded.”
He added: “The shells destroyed a number of houses and caused severe damage to commercial stores in the Abu Shuk market. People were looking for food, animal feed or water, and they found death falling from the sky.”
SOS
The city of El Fasher has lived since last April under a suffocating siege imposed by the Rapid Support Forces, which led to a complete collapse in health and food services.
The residents suffer from the lack of food sources, as many are forced to rely on animal feed known locally as “mint”.
During this difficult situation, Al -Jazeera Net quoted citizen Fatima Makki, residing in the Al -Radif neighborhood, saying: “We feed our children the amplis as if it is human food … no medicine, no food, and even water. We die of starvation or under the shells, and no one hears us. She added:“ Our life turned into hell, and our day passes without any hope. We appeal to the international community to give us a helping hand before it is too late. “
Used future
Analysts believe that the success of the armed forces in repelling the attack reflects a tactical shift in the confrontation path within the city of El Fasher.
They affirm that cooperation between the army, the joint forces, the popular resistance and the citizens may be an introduction to the re -drawing of the map of control and the construction of a unified political front, if this success is invested effectively.
However, some local activists warn that the military victory alone will not be sufficient to break the siege on the city or end the suffering of civilians, unless it is translated into an urgent military crawl from the north of the country to Darfur.