Sudan war escalates in North Darfur
The war in Sudan continues, with fighting spreading to residential neighbourhoods inside the town of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State and one of the main epicentres of the ongoing conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
According to Al-Ain, the fighting has left several civilians dead and wounded, intensifying the severe shortages of medical supplies, food, water and electricity, as well as the humanitarian crisis.
Another town suffering from the consequences of this war is Sennar, which is controlled by the FAR. The town is frequently witnessing clashes between the two sides amid shortages in hospitals and medical staff. Sennar is also suffering a severe crisis due to the lack of necessary services such as electricity, water and communications, which has led many people to flee the area to escape the shelling.
Military operations have intensified since late June, when FAR took control of the strategic location linking the states of Sennar, Gezira and White Nile. On 29 June, FAR also managed to encircle army forces in the town of Sennar, penetrating to a depth of more than 60 kilometres.
Their objective now is to completely control El Fasher, as it is the last town in the Darfur region not under their control. By the end of last year, they had already taken over the states of South, Central, West and East Darfur.
As the pace of fighting accelerates, military sources told Al Ain News that the Rapid Support Forces, in the southern axis of the town of El Fasher (the capital of North Darfur state in western Sudan), fought a violent battle with the army and joint forces (which were formed from some affiliated armed groups).
The Rapid Support Forces seek to control El Fasher, as it is the last town in the Darfur region not under their control, having controlled South, Central, West and East Darfur states since late last year.
The current war in Sudan, which began in mid-April 2023, has already left more than 20,000 people dead and more than 10 million displaced and refugees, according to UN figures, in addition to a severe humanitarian crisis.
The UN has also warned that heavy rains and flooding are making it extremely difficult to deliver aid to countries in the area, including Sudan. Although humanitarian trucks are arriving in Darfur, transport is hampered by flooded and muddy roads. ‘We need to maintain and expand access so we can increase our aid, save lives and prevent the famine from spreading,’ said Leni Kinzli, WFP spokesperson in Sudan.
Security Council extends arms embargo on Darfur
In a resolution adopted unanimously, the Security Council extended until 12 September 2025 the sanctions regime in place since 2005 targeting only Darfur. This decision includes individual sanctions - asset freezes and travel bans - against three individuals and an arms embargo.
As US deputy ambassador Robert Wood explained, this resolution ‘sends an important signal that the international community remains focused on the plight’ of Darfur, where the population ‘continues to live in danger, despair and hopelessness’.