EL-FASHER, Sudan (BN24) – At least 78 people were killed and about 20 others injured after a drone strike hit a mosque in the besieged city of El-Fasher, the last Sudanese army stronghold in the Darfur region, a senior medical source told the BBC on Saturday.
The deadly airstrike struck during morning prayers on Friday, flattening the mosque in western El-Fasher and leaving dozens of bodies trapped beneath the rubble. One eyewitness described the moment as a “scene of horror,” with many worshippers killed instantly.
While the attack has been blamed on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the group has not officially claimed responsibility. The RSF, which has been engaged in a brutal two-year civil war against Sudan’s army, has been steadily advancing in Darfur, with El-Fasher—home to more than 300,000 civilians—now nearly encircled.
The BBC has verified disturbing footage from the aftermath of the strike, showing around 30 bodies wrapped in shrouds and blankets lying next to the destroyed mosque. Recovery efforts are still underway, and casualty figures may rise.
El-Fasher has become a central battleground as RSF forces intensify their campaign to take full control of the western region. This week, the paramilitaries launched a new offensive, targeting Abu Shouk, a camp for internally displaced people on the outskirts of the city. Satellite imagery analyzed by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) shows RSF forces now occupy significant parts of the camp.
Further images and verified video footage confirm that RSF troops have breached the headquarters of the Joint Forces, an alliance of armed groups aligned with the Sudanese military, located inside a former United Nations compound. Though full control of the base remains unconfirmed, its seizure would place key military assets—including El-Fasher’s airport and division headquarters—within direct RSF firing range.
According to the HRL, the city will likely fall without immediate reinforcements to the Sudanese army positions. A complete RSF takeover would solidify control of western Sudan, effectively splitting the country, with the army holding the north and east.
The battle for El-Fasher has sparked alarm among humanitarian organizations and international observers. The United Nations on Friday warned of the “increasing ethnicisation of the conflict,” citing attacks against civilians accused of siding with the opposing force. Analysts fear a potential massacre, as El-Fasher’s remaining population largely consists of non-Arab ethnic groups, whom the RSF reportedly views as adversaries.
Doctors Without Borders, operating in the region, recently accused RSF fighters of threatening to “clean El-Fasher” of its non-Arab population, a statement they described as chilling evidence of a campaign of ethnic cleansing. The RSF has previously denied involvement in tribal violence, insisting it is not responsible for “ethnic or tribal conflicts.”
The latest assault underscores the devastating toll of Sudan’s spiraling conflict, which has displaced millions and killed tens of thousands since erupting in 2023. With El-Fasher on the brink and international mediation efforts stalled, the humanitarian crisis in Darfur deepens by the day.
