RSF claims capture of Sudan army HQ in al-Fashir

Footage released by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) shows fighters celebrating what the group says is the capture of the Sudanese army headquarters in al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, including scenes of soldiers in front of a sign for the army’s Sixth Infantry base. The RSF said it seized al-Fashir “from the grip of mercenaries and militias allied with the terrorist army,” and posted images from inside the compound. An RSF adviser told media that paramilitary fighters entered the city and took control of the military base, while two anonymous Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) officers said army units had redeployed elsewhere. The SAF has not issued full confirmation and independent verification of the RSF claim remains pending; both sides have previously provided conflicting accounts of control over key positions, and the situation on the ground is fluid.

If confirmed, the fall of the Sixth Infantry Division’s headquarters would mark a major strategic loss for the army: al-Fashir is its last remaining stronghold in Darfur and its capture would leave the RSF effectively dominant across the region, tightening control over key supply routes and consolidating the paramilitary’s claim of a parallel government established this summer. Humanitarian conditions in al-Fashir have been dire amid a prolonged siege, with civilians reporting acute shortages of food, water and medical supplies and UN and aid agencies warning of famine risk and widespread suffering as fighting intensifies.

Local resistance and medical sources report continued fierce clashes in the city. The Popular Resistance in al-Fashir and El-Fashir Resistance Committees said the city is still resisting RSF attacks, while the Sudan Doctors Network reported that RSF shelling of the main hospital killed a nurse and wounded three medical workers, condemning attacks on health facilities as potential war crimes and urging the World Health Organization to protect medical personnel and hospitals.

The takeover attempt comes amid an escalating conflict between the SAF and RSF that began in April 2023, which aid groups and authorities say has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. The RSF has besieged al-Fashir since May 10, 2024, and the evolving situation could further reshape power dynamics in Darfur and worsen the humanitarian crisis affecting hundreds of thousands of civilians.