Summary

  • Sudan's military chief confirms the army's withdrawal from its last western stronghold of el-Fasher after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) declared control of the city

  • The United Nations has raised the alarm over reports of atrocities committed by the RSF in recent days, and has called for safe passage for trapped civilians

  • The RSF denies killing civilians. It now controls all five state capitals in Darfur, consolidating its parallel administration in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur

  • "We suffered greatly in el-Fasher and were forced to flee," a man who escaped the besieged city tells the BBC, while a woman with relatives there says "we've lost contact with our families"

  • The fall of el-Fasher could mark a significant turning point in Sudan's civil war, which began in April 2023 after a vicious struggle for power broke out between its army and the RSF

  • More than 150,000 people have died in the conflict across the country, and about 14 million have fled their homes

Live Reporting

Edited by Jack Burgess and Jenna Moon

  1. 'We've lost contact with our families,' woman with relatives in el-Fasher tells BBC

    Our BBC Arabic colleagues have been hearing from families from el-Fasher who are outside the city and have been left in a state of anxiety and dread after losing contact with their loved ones.

    "May God protect the city and all the surrounding towns," one resident says, adding that many people still inside the city have been "unreachable" since Monday.

    "Many people were killed, others are wounded, and some are unable to leave el-Fasher," she adds.

    We’ve lost contact with our families and with many people still inside el-Fasher, even though we’ve repeatedly called for their safe evacuation."

    Woman with relatives in el-Fasher

  2. How the conflict in Sudan began

    A wrecked tank sits in front of a ruined building

    Much of the capital, Khartoum, lies in ruins after the two sides battled for control of the city

    The civil war has been raging in Sudan for two-and-a-half years now. It has been estimated that at least 150,000 people have been killed - including many civilians - and more than 14 million people have been forced from their homes.

    The conflict started in April 2023 after the country's two leading military figures fell out over the future direction of the country.

    Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan headed the armed forces and his deputy, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as "Hemedti", was in charge of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group.

    Fighting began in the capital, Khartoum, but spread countrywide as the two sides battled for control.

    A major turning point earlier this year was seen when the army retook Khartoum in March, but this did not end the fighting.

    The army's withdrawal from el-Fasher leaves the RSF in control of most of the west of the country. There are fears that it is now being split in two.

    Diplomatic efforts to end the war have failed and there have been accusations that both sides are getting support from other countries.

  3. Where is Sudan?

    Sudan is in north-east Africa and is one of the largest countries on the continent, covering 1.9 million sq km (734,000 sq miles).

    It borders seven countries and the Red Sea. The River Nile also flows through it, making it strategically important for foreign powers.

    The population of Sudan is predominantly Muslim and the country's official languages are Arabic and English.

    Even before the war started, Sudan was one of the poorest countries in the world - despite the fact that it is a gold-producing nation.

    Its 46 million people were living on an average annual income of $750 (£600) a head in 2022.

    The conflict has made things much worse. Last year, Sudan's finance minister said state revenues had shrunk by 80%.

    A map showing the location of the Darfur region in the west of Sudan

  4. Evidence of mass killings seen in satellite images, US researchers say

    Akisa Wandera
    BBC News

    Researchers in the US say they have found evidence of mass killings, after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control of the city of el-Fasher from the Sudanese army.

    The Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University says satellite imagery shows clusters of what appear to be human bodies near RSF vehicles and a wall that surrounds the city.

    The researchers say that the images also confirm that the RSF has captured all the army's positions.

    They have also seen evidence of house-to-house operations and new roadblocks across the city.

    Yale's report warns that the pattern of violence appears ethnically targeted similar to mass atrocities previously documented in other parts of Darfur since the conflict began in April 2023.

    It says the RSF’s advance, combined with restricted humanitarian access, “raises the risk of crimes against humanity or even genocide”.

  5. Sudan's army loses key city of el-Fasher to paramilitary RSF after 18-month siege

    Sudan's military chief has confirmed the army's withdrawal from its last western stronghold of el-Fasher after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) declared control of the city.

    In a televised address, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said he had approved the withdrawal in response to the "systematic destruction and killing of civilians".

    He said he had agreed with local leaders to "leave and go to a safe place to protect the remaining citizens and the rest of the city from destruction".

    The UN has raised the alarm over reports of atrocities committed by the RSF in recent days, and has called for safe passage for trapped civilians.

    The RSF have denied accusations they were killing civilians.

    The fall of el-Fasher could mark a significant turning point in Sudan's civil war, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 12 million people since April 2023.

    The city's capture gives the RSF control over all five state capitals in Darfur, consolidating its parallel administration in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur.