Sudanese Army Pledges to Lift Siege on El-Fashir

The Sudanese Army on Saturday confirmed its determination to lift the siege imposed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on El-Fashir city in the Darfur region.

A reporter for Al Arabiya / Al Hadath stated that the Sudanese Army has stopped the RSF’s advance on the southern front of El-Fashir. He added that the city’s outskirts continue to endure constant artillery shelling by the militia.

The reporter also noted that “most hospitals in El-Fashir are out of service due to repeated shelling,” and that 900,000 people are facing hunger because of the siege.

RSF attacks on El-Fashir have been ongoing for weeks, amid international warnings about the dangers of fighting in the city, which serves as the humanitarian hub for Darfur’s five states.

The militia has maintained a siege on El-Fashir since May 2023, while the city remains the only major urban center in the region under army control.

Sporadic artillery shelling by the militia targets army-held areas in El-Fashir, resulting in almost daily civilian casualties. The siege has also caused sharp increases in food prices, frequent shortages, and a deteriorating health situation as most hospitals and health centers have been forced to close due to destruction.

Meanwhile, General Shams El-Din Kabbashi, member of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army, renewed the army’s pledge to lift the siege on El-Fashir and other cities under RSF control.

Speaking from the frontlines in Kordofan, he stressed that there will be no negotiations with the militia.

Kabbashi’s visit is expected to accelerate military operations in Darfur and Kordofan, as the army maintains its commitment to a military resolution.