UN Conducts First Visit to El Fasher Since Regime Fall, Exposing Severe Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan
El Fasher, Sudan — A United Nations delegation has carried out its first visit to El Fasher, North Darfur, since the collapse of the local regime, uncovering dire humanitarian conditions amid Sudan's escalating civil unrest. The high-severity event, which began on December 31, 2025, highlights the intensifying crisis in one of the country's most volatile regions.
The UN team's assessment, conducted against a backdrop of ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), revealed systematic harm to civilians, including indiscriminate attacks, siege tactics, and stringent restrictions on humanitarian access. This visit marks a critical moment as Sudan grapples with what has become the world's largest internal displacement crisis, with over 10 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) reported across the country.
Dire Conditions and Urgent Calls for Action
The Protection Cluster's latest Sudan Protection Analysis Update, published on January 6, 2026, underscores the gravity of the situation in frontline areas like El Fasher. The report details how civilians, particularly vulnerable groups such as women, children, and older persons, face relentless threats. "Urgent action is needed to halt attacks on civilians, ease access constraints, and protect populations trapped in front-line areas," the analysis states, emphasizing the systematic nature of the violence.
El Fasher, long a strategic stronghold in Darfur, has been at the epicenter of clashes since the RSF launched offensives in the region. The fall of the local regime—widely understood to refer to the SAF's loss of control—has exacerbated an already catastrophic humanitarian emergency. The UN visit, initiated shortly after this shift on December 31, 2025, at 15:18 GMT, provided firsthand evidence of the fallout, including widespread displacement and impeded aid delivery.
Witness accounts and cluster reports describe scenes of devastation: families fleeing under fire, markets shuttered due to sieges, and essential services collapsing. Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly documented the use of siege tactics, which trap civilians without food, water, or medical care, leading to heightened risks of famine and disease outbreaks.
Background on Sudan's Civil Unrest
Sudan's conflict erupted in April 2023 following power struggles between the SAF, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary RSF under General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). What began as a political dispute in Khartoum has devolved into a full-scale war, drawing in ethnic militias and regional actors. Darfur, scarred by the early 2000s genocide, has seen a resurgence of inter-communal violence, with the RSF—rooted in Janjaweed militias—accused of ethnic targeting, particularly against non-Arab groups.
El Fasher's significance cannot be overstated. As the capital of North Darfur state and home to around 200,000 people before the latest escalations, it served as a SAF bastion amid RSF gains across much of Darfur. By late 2025, RSF forces had encircled the city, prompting mass displacements and UN Security Council resolutions demanding ceasefires and aid corridors. The regime's fall has reportedly allowed RSF dominance, though sporadic SAF counterattacks persist.
The Protection Analysis Update aligns with broader UN data: Sudan now accounts for over 10 million IDPs, surpassing crises in Syria and Ukraine in scale. Famine has been declared in parts of North Darfur, with 25 million people—half the population—facing acute hunger. Cross-border flows into Chad and South Sudan have strained neighboring countries, while funding shortfalls plague response efforts.
International Response and Challenges
The UN visit to El Fasher signals renewed diplomatic pressure. Agencies like UNHCR and WFP have called for safe access, with the Protection Cluster advocating for de-escalation mechanisms. However, bureaucratic hurdles, active hostilities, and looting of aid convoys continue to thwart deliveries. The report notes "severe restrictions on humanitarian access," a recurring theme in RSF-controlled territories.
Quotes from field monitors in the update paint a stark picture: civilians endure "indiscriminate attacks" via artillery and drones, alongside sexual violence and child recruitment. Women and girls, comprising a significant portion of IDPs, face heightened protection risks in camps lacking basic security.
Regional mediators, including the Jeddah process led by the US and Saudi Arabia, have yielded fragile truces, but violations are routine. The African Union and IGAD have urged unity, yet external support—alleged Iranian drones for SAF and UAE arms for RSF—prolongs the stalemate.
Outlook Amid Prolonged Crisis
As the UN processes findings from the El Fasher visit, expectations mount for an emergency Security Council briefing. The high-severity classification of this event underscores the risk of further atrocities if access remains blocked. With over 14,000 conflict-related deaths verified by ACLED trackers in 2025 alone, and projections of worsening displacement, Sudan's unrest threatens regional stability.
Humanitarian leaders warn that without immediate halts to sieges and attacks, El Fasher could mirror the fate of other Darfur cities like el-Geneina, where thousands perished in 2023 massacres. International donors have pledged over $3 billion since 2023, but delivery rates hover below 20%. The path forward hinges on enforceable ceasefires and inclusive political talks, though optimism remains tempered by three years of entrenched warfare.
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