Residents of Sudan’s famine-stricken city of al-Fashir are living in fear, forced to hide in underground bunkers to escape drone attacks and shelling amid an intensifying siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The city, located in the war-torn Darfur region, remains the Sudanese army’s last stronghold, as the civil war enters its third year.
Over one million people have fled al-Fashir since the siege began 18 months ago, according to the United Nations. Yet, around 250,000 civilians remain trapped, facing starvation, airstrikes, and the constant threat of violence. Residents told Reuters they have resorted to moving stealthily during the day, avoiding lights at night, and burying the dead in darkness to evade drones.
“We can only bury people at night,” said journalist Mohyaldeen Abdallah, describing how life has become a struggle for survival. Drone strikes have hit clinics, mosques, and displacement shelters areas once considered safe. At Abu Taleb school, 18 people were killed after a drone and shelling attack, while at Dar al-Arqam shelter, at least 57 civilians, including 17 children, were reported dead.
Footage verified by Reuters showed bodies lying near makeshift bunkers, schools reduced to rubble, and civilians terrified to venture outside. Humanitarian agencies warn that food supplies have completely dwindled, with even animal feed once used as a last resort now unavailable.
The Rapid Support Forces, accused by the U.S. of committing genocide in Darfur, claim al-Fashir is devoid of civilians, while the Sudanese army denies responsibility for civilian casualties.
As the RSF tightens its grip, al-Fashir teeters on the brink of collapse. Activists estimate that 30 people die daily from hunger, disease, and violence. “Al-Fashir is lifeless,” said Mohamed, a volunteer responder. “But leaving is even more dangerous than staying.”
