UN Warns of Humanitarian Catastrophe in Sudan’s El Fasher After RSF Takeover

28 October 2025

A child washes their hands in El Fasher, Sudan, in an undated file photo. UNICEF Handout

October 28, 2025 (GENEVA) – The United Nations humanitarian office on Tuesday warned of an “unfolding catastrophe” in the Sudanese city of El Fasher, citing a complete collapse of health services and dwindling supplies of food and water days after the city’s fall to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The warning comes after the RSF consolidated control over the North Darfur capital last week, following the Sudanese Armed Forces’ withdrawal. The takeover triggered widespread reports of looting and ethnically targeted violence, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.

“The situation in El Fasher is deteriorating by the hour,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement. “Hospitals are no longer functional, and our ability to reach tens of thousands of trapped civilians with life-saving aid is severely compromised.”

Aid agencies report that the city’s main medical facility, the Saudi Hospital, has ceased operations after repeated attacks and the recent abduction of its medical staff, according to local doctors’ groups.

El Fasher, once a relatively safe haven for over half a million displaced people in the war-torn Darfur region, now faces critical shortages. Residents who were unable to flee report being trapped in their homes with dwindling food and water reserves as lawlessness continues.

Aid agencies are calling for the immediate establishment of humanitarian corridors to allow for the safe evacuation of civilians and the delivery of essential supplies. The conflict between Sudan’s army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has displaced millions and pushed parts of the country to the brink of famine.