El Fasher, October 27 (Darfur24)
Military clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are ongoing in El Fasher, North Darfur State, amid reports of shifting frontlines and continued army control over several key locations.
Sources told Darfur24 on Sunday that army units that withdrew from the 6th Infantry Division headquarters remain stationed at El Fasher Airport, the 154th Infantry Brigade, and artillery positions west of the city. Meanwhile, the joint force is reportedly positioned in the First Class neighborhood and at the former UNAMID headquarters northwest of El Fasher.
The RSF seized control of the 6th Infantry Division in El Fasher on Sunday after fierce fighting over the weekend.
A senior Sudanese military source told Darfur24 that the army withdrew Friday night from its advanced defensive lines toward the main market in the city center, allowing RSF forces to advance and capture the presidential residence, the Bank of Sudan buildings, the ministries, and several high-rise structures near the division’s headquarters the following day.
The source denied rumors circulating about the death of Major General Mohammed Ahmed al-Khader, commander of the 6th Division, affirming that he is alive and personally directing ongoing military operations.
He added that Brigadier General Mohieddine, the division’s deputy operations commander, was captured by the RSF, while Major General Mansour, the deputy division commander, is currently leading operations around the Sixth Infantry Division area.
The source acknowledged that the RSF had taken control of the division’s headquarters, resulting in the complete isolation of the city’s western sector.
Verified videos posted by the RSF and reviewed by Darfur24 show their forces inside the Moral Guidance, Medical Corps, and Signal Corps compounds within the 6th Infantry Division’s central complex. These sites are separated from the army’s remaining positions in the First Class neighborhood by a small bridge spanning a waterway that cuts through the city.
A local source who recently fled El Fasher said RSF fighters entered the city via the Al-Ziyadiya neighborhood road and advanced toward the main market. He added that the army remains stationed at El Fasher Airport, along with the 154th Infantry Brigade and artillery units in the west, while the joint force maintains positions in the First Class neighborhood and the UNAMID compound northwest of the city.
Eyewitnesses and local sources reported that thousands of civilians and military personnel have fled El Fasher, heading west toward Tawila via Golo and Shaqra, and north toward Mellit through Qarni, Tora, and Um Marahik.
The 6th Infantry Division in El Fasher houses several key military units, including the 23rd Infantry Brigade, the Engineering Corps, the Moral Guidance Department, the Medical Corps, the Command School, and the Signal Corps—all concentrated in the city center. The headquarters of the 154th Infantry Brigade, along with the Artillery, Air Defense, Reserve, and Joint Forces, are located in the First Class neighborhood west of the city.