El Fasher, September 04 (Darfur24)
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied forces have continued reinforcing earthen berms and trenches around El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, while tightening restrictions on civilian movement into and out of the city, eyewitnesses said Thursday.
Humanitarian workers and other witnesses told Darfur24 that RSF forces have intensified construction and reinforcement of earthen barriers along the northern, western and southern approaches to the city.
The restrictions have affected civilians arriving from displacement communities in Tawila and eastern areas of El Fasher to register for and collect cash assistance from the Norwegian Refugee Council and other humanitarian organizations.
Witnesses said some residents leave the city after receiving aid, but the expanding berms and trenches have increasingly restricted their movement. They said only one route remains accessible, linking Zamzam camp with El Fasher.
International reports and satellite imagery documented the RSF’s construction and expansion of an extensive network of earthen berms and trenches around El Fasher in September 2025, as part of efforts to besiege and isolate the city.
The RSF has controlled El Fasher since late October 2025, after capturing the Sudanese army’s last major positions in Darfur.