The bloodstains on the hospital ruins were still fresh as the warring factions in Sudan’s conflict wrote a new chapter of human suffering in the battle for Fashoda.
On October 28, the Saudi Maternity Hospital in the city of Fashir, Darfur region, Sudan, was attacked by armed militants, resulting in the tragic deaths of over 460 patients receiving treatment
The hospital was attacked twice within just three days, with the first assault on the 26th of this month resulting in the death of one nurse and injuries to three medical staff
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The World Health Organization statement noted that six medical personnel were also kidnapped by militants in the second attack, including four doctors, one nurse, and one pharmacist
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01 Fall of Fashir: A Strategic Turning Point in the Sudanese Conflict
The Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced on October 26 that they had fully taken control of Fashir, the capital of North Darfur state, marking the “last major stronghold” of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the Darfur region
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On the following day, Burhan, Chairman of the Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Sudan, announced that the Sudanese Armed Forces had withdrawn from Fashoda to protect the lives of residents and prevent further damage to the city
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The fall of Fashir marks a new phase in the Sudanese conflict, with all five state capitals in the Darfur region now under the control of the Rapid Support Forces
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Darfur, which covers about a quarter of Sudan’s territory, is not only a region rich in mineral resources such as oil but also a crucial transportation hub connecting Sudan with its neighboring countries
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02 Power Play: The Evolution from Ally to Rival
The two opposing factions in the current Sudanese conflict—the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces—were once political allies. These two armed groups jointly participated in overthrowing the Omar al-Bashir
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However, due to deep divisions over military reorganization and power distribution, former allies turned foes. Armed clashes erupted between the two sides in the capital, Khartoum, on April 15, 2023, and the conflict quickly spread across the country
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After two and a half years of conflict, the Sudanese Armed Forces currently control the eastern, northern, and central regions of Sudan, while the Rapid Support Forces hold the majority of the Darfur region in the west and parts of the western Kordofan region, occupying nearly 40% of the country’s territory
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03 Strategic Value: Why is Fashir so important?
Fashir, as the capital of North Darfur State, holds significant strategic importance. Since May 2024, the Rapid Support Forces have been besieging the city, engaging in fierce clashes with a coalition of the Sudanese Armed Forces and local militias
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Analysts widely agree that the fall of Fashir marks another turning point in the Sudanese conflict, significantly altering the power balance between the opposing sides on the western front
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The Sudanese Armed Forces have lost their last major stronghold in the Darfur region, likely leading to a significant decline in their influence in western Sudan
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The rapid support forces have completed the “Darfur control loop,” significantly consolidating their control over western Sudan and gaining more leverage in potential future ceasefire negotiations
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04 Humanitarian Disaster: The Tragedy of Civilians in Ongoing Conflicts
The two-and-a-half-year-long armed conflict in Sudan has claimed nearly 30,000 lives and displaced over 12 million people
The siege of the city of Fallujah further trapped hundreds of thousands of civilians in a state of entrapment and fear
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The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) noted that they received “credible reports” indicating widespread violations, including summary executions, attacks on civilians along escape routes, house-to-house searches, and preventing civilians from reaching safe zones
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According to data from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, approximately 1,850 civilians have died in northern Darfur from the beginning of this year to October 20, with an estimated 1,350 of them in Fasher
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The local power and water supply networks were paralyzed, leading to severe shortages of food and medicine, and the humanitarian situation was extremely dire
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05 International Response: Condemnation and Calls to Action from the Global Community
The international community has expressed grave concern over the escalating violence in Sudan, particularly in Fashir. The European Union issued a statement, calling the capture of Fashir a “dangerous turning point” in the Sudanese conflict
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In a joint statement, EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas and Commissioner Hajat Rabieb emphasized: “Targeting civilians based on racial identity highlights the brutality of the Rapid Support Forces.”
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The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and Sudan’s aid partners issued a statement, condemning in the strongest terms the reported attacks by the Rapid Support Forces on civilians, civilian infrastructure, and humanitarian workers in Fashir
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They called on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities, respect the obligations stipulated by international humanitarian law, and ensure safe and sustained humanitarian access
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06 Future Prospects: Potential Development Pathways of the Sudanese Conflict
Analysts believe that the fall of Fashir may further intensify the split and confrontation in Sudan
More alarmingly, the Rapid Support Forces already possess advanced weaponry such as long-range attack drones and have vowed to continue their offensive operations starting from Fashir
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Alan Boswell, a researcher at the International Crisis Research Organization, pointed out that the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan would not be satisfied with controlling western Sudan and would continue escalating the war as long as they could obtain sufficient material support
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The conflict may further spread to the Kordofan region and central Sudan, potentially escalating the war
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Against the backdrop of the Israel-Palestine conflict and the Russia-Ukraine conflict drawing global attention, the Sudan conflict has yet to receive sufficient focus, and urgent international efforts are needed to de-escalate the situation in Sudan
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The conflict in Sudan has escalated into a silent disaster largely overlooked by the world. In Brussels, the EU’s foreign policy chief described the fall of Fashir as a “dangerous turning point.”
In New York, UN officials condemned attacks on civilians but struggled to alter the ground reality
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The suffering of the Sudanese people, like the grains of sand in the Darfur desert, is countless yet silent.
For the people of Sudan, the path of political negotiation and peaceful reconciliation appears more distant than ever.
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