The Siege and Fall of El Fasher: UPSC Current Affairs Story Arc

Overview

The Siege and Fall of El Fasher represents the most critical escalation in the Sudanese Civil War (2023-present) between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). El Fasher, the last stronghold of the SAF in the Darfur region and a former humanitarian hub, was subjected to a brutal 500-day siege that concluded with its capture by the RSF in late October 2025. This arc documents the transition from a localized power struggle to a documented humanitarian catastrophe involving mass atrocities, starvation, and large-scale displacement into neighboring Chad. For India, this matters due to our historical peacekeeping footprint in Sudan, the safety of the Indian diaspora (as seen in Operation Kaveri), and the broader stability of the Red Sea/African Horn region.

How This Story Evolved

Violence rises in North Darfur → RSF tightens 500-day siege on El Fasher → City falls to RSF → Mass atrocities confirmed → UN officially blames RSF for war crimes in the city

1. 2025-06-03: UN News Highlights Violence and Displacement in Gaza and Sudan
   More details

   UPSC Angle: UN News reports violence and displacement in Gaza and Sudan.

   Key Facts:

   • Increased Palestinian deaths seeking aid in Gaza
   • Over 68,000 refugees crossed into Chad's Wadi Fira and Ennedi Est provinces from Sudan in just over a month
   • 1,400 new arrivals per day in Chad
   • Attacks directed against civilians constitute a grave breach of international law, and a war crime
2. 2025-09-24: UN Secretary-General Addresses Conflicts and Humanitarian Crises
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

   Key Facts:

   • More than 14,000 civilians, including hundreds of children, have been killed in Ukraine
   • Over 36,000 civilians have been injured in Ukraine
   • The RSF has tightened its siege for more than 500 days in El Fasher, Sudan
   • Famine conditions have taken hold across Gaza
   • More than half a million people starving in Gaza
   • 390 deaths confirmed in Gaza, including 140 children
3. 2025-10-30: Security Council briefed on conditions in Sudan's El Fasher
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

   Key Facts:

   • Russian armed forces conducted another large-scale combined attack across Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, reportedly targeting critical energy infrastructure.
   • At least two more civilians were killed, with 23 injured – including 6 children - in Zaporizhzhia, which was reportedly hit by over eight ballistic missiles and 20 drones.
4. 2025-11-13: UN Warns of Violence and Desperation Among Gazan and Sudanese Children
   More details

   UPSC Angle: UN warns of violence and desperation among Gazan and Sudanese children.

   Key Facts:

   • 93% of Gazan youngsters exhibited aggressive behaviour
   • 90% were violent towards younger children
   • The Israeli authorities​​​​​​​ announced the reopening of Zikim crossing, following a two-month closure
   • UNHCR issued an urgent appeal to help the people of Sudan
   • UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned reports of mass atrocities against civilians in El Fasher
   • The city was overrun by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces last month, after a 500-day siege
5. 2026-02-09: UN Addresses Sudan War Crimes, Migrant Deaths, Child Labor
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

   Key Facts:

   • UN human rights chief Volker Türk called for intervention in Sudan
   • Blames paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for atrocity crimes in El Fasher
   • 53 migrants, including two babies, drowned off the coast of Libya
   • 138 million children are employed illegally around the world
   • 87 million children working are in Africa
   • More than 50 million of the total are involved in hazardous work

Genesis

Trigger

The tightening of the RSF siege in early 2025, which escalated significantly by June 3, 2025, when UN reports indicated 1,400 refugees were crossing into Chad daily.

Why Now

The RSF sought to consolidate control over the entire Darfur region to establish a 'de facto' state, viewing El Fasher as the final obstacle to total regional dominance.

Historical Context

The Darfur region has been a site of ethnic conflict since 2003, originally involving the Janjaweed militias (precursors to the RSF) and the Sudanese government against rebel groups.

Key Turning Points

1. [2025-09-24] UN Secretary-General marks the 500th day of the RSF siege

   Internationalized the crisis and signaled that El Fasher's defenses were reaching a breaking point.

   Before: The city was a tenuous safe haven for millions. After: Global focus shifted to the imminent humanitarian collapse.

2. [2025-10-30] Official Fall of El Fasher to RSF

   End of SAF presence in Darfur and the beginning of documented 'mass atrocities'.

   Before: A city under siege but resisting. After: A city under occupation with reported 'chaos and fear'.

Key Actors and Institutions

Key Institutions

• United Nations Security Council (UNSC)
• UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• International Labour Organization (ILO)
• Rapid Support Forces (RSF)

Key Concepts

Atrocity Crimes

An umbrella term for three legally defined international crimes: genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

Current Fact: On Feb 9, 2026, UN Human Rights chief blamed RSF for 'atrocity crimes' in El Fasher.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)

Persons forced to flee their homes but who remain within their country's borders, unlike refugees who cross international boundaries.

Current Fact: 68,000 people crossed into Chad's Wadi Fira and Ennedi Est provinces from Sudan in mid-2025.

Famine Conditions

A specific technical classification (IPC Phase 5) where at least 20% of households face an extreme lack of food and starvation is evident.

Current Fact: UN Secretary-General voiced alarm over famine-like conditions during the El Fasher siege in Sept 2025.

What Happens Next

Current Status

As of February 9, 2026, the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk has officially blamed the RSF for 'atrocity crimes' in the captured city and called for immediate international intervention.

Likely Next

Possible referral of RSF leadership to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and intensified pressure for a UN-mandated protection force for civilians.

Wildcards

Internal fragmentation within the RSF or a sudden counter-offensive by SAF-aligned local militias could turn the city into a permanent urban guerrilla zone.

Why UPSC Cares

Syllabus Topics

• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests
• Humanitarian crises and International Organizations

Essay Angles

• The Failure of the 'Responsibility to Protect' (R2P) in the 21st Century
• Humanitarian consequences of prolonged urban warfare

Prelims Likely: Yes

Mains Likely: Yes

Trend Signal: rising

Exam Intelligence

Previous Year Question Connections

• Tested countries where lakhs suffered from famine/starvation due to war (South Sudan/Yemen). — The El Fasher crisis mirrors the 2018 famine conditions, making Sudan a high-probability candidate for questions on food insecurity and conflict.
• Mentioned the Darfur region in the context of UN efforts to help civil war victims. — Darfur is a perennial 'crisis location' in UPSC geography and current affairs mapping.

Prelims Angles

• Geographic mapping of El Fasher (North Darfur capital) and border provinces like Wadi Fira and Ennedi Est (Chad).
• Distinction between the roles of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (Volker Türk) and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
• Identification of the 'Rapid Support Forces' (RSF) as a Sudanese paramilitary group.

Mains Preparation

Sample Question: The fall of El Fasher highlights the limitations of the international community in preventing atrocity crimes during protracted civil wars. Discuss in the light of the evolving role of the UN and regional organizations in Africa.

Answer Structure: Intro: Contextualize the Sudan Civil War and the significance of El Fasher -> Body 1: The humanitarian toll (displacement, famine, child trauma) -> Body 2: Challenges in UN intervention (sovereignty vs. human rights) -> Body 3: Role of the RSF and lack of global accountability -> Conclusion: Need for a reformed global security architecture.

Essay Topic: Silent Screams: Why the world looks away from African conflicts.

Textbook Connections

Key Takeaway

The fall of El Fasher is a landmark failure of international humanitarian law, transitioning Sudan from a civil war to a site of documented atrocity crimes with massive regional spillover into Chad.

All Events in This Story (5 items)

1. 2025-06-03 [International Relations] — UN News Highlights Violence and Displacement in Gaza and Sudan
   UN News reports increased Palestinian deaths while seeking aid in Gaza and continued violence and mass displacement in Sudan, particularly in North Darfur. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights condemned attacks against civilians and urged Israel to ensure aid reaches Gaza without delay.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: UN News reports violence and displacement in Gaza and Sudan.

   Key Facts:

   • Increased Palestinian deaths seeking aid in Gaza
   • Over 68,000 refugees crossed into Chad's Wadi Fira and Ennedi Est provinces from Sudan in just over a month
   • 1,400 new arrivals per day in Chad
   • Attacks directed against civilians constitute a grave breach of international law, and a war crime
2. 2025-09-24 [International Relations] — UN Secretary-General Addresses Conflicts and Humanitarian Crises
   On September 24, 2025, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan, and the deepening crisis in Gaza. He highlighted the rising civilian toll in Ukraine and called for an end to attacks against civilians and infrastructure. Guterres also voiced alarm about the situation in El Fasher, Sudan, and the famine conditions in Gaza, urging increased humanitarian support.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

   Key Facts:

   • More than 14,000 civilians, including hundreds of children, have been killed in Ukraine
   • Over 36,000 civilians have been injured in Ukraine
   • The RSF has tightened its siege for more than 500 days in El Fasher, Sudan
   • Famine conditions have taken hold across Gaza
   • More than half a million people starving in Gaza
   • 390 deaths confirmed in Gaza, including 140 children
3. 2025-10-30 [International Relations] — Security Council briefed on conditions in Sudan's El Fasher
   The UN human rights office has documented widespread and serious human rights violations in and around the key city in Darfur, which fell to the RSF militia a few days ago. After eighteen months of siege, starvation, and bombardment, the city – once a refuge for many – is now engulfed in chaos and fear.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

   Key Facts:

   • Russian armed forces conducted another large-scale combined attack across Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, reportedly targeting critical energy infrastructure.
   • At least two more civilians were killed, with 23 injured – including 6 children - in Zaporizhzhia, which was reportedly hit by over eight ballistic missiles and 20 drones.
4. 2025-11-13 [International Relations] — UN Warns of Violence and Desperation Among Gazan and Sudanese Children
   The UN reports that over 90% of children in Gaza exhibit aggressive behavior after two years of war, while in Sudan, families are desperate and running out of time due to ongoing conflict. UNHCR is appealing for aid for the people of Sudan.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: UN warns of violence and desperation among Gazan and Sudanese children.

   Key Facts:

   • 93% of Gazan youngsters exhibited aggressive behaviour
   • 90% were violent towards younger children
   • The Israeli authorities​​​​​​​ announced the reopening of Zikim crossing, following a two-month closure
   • UNHCR issued an urgent appeal to help the people of Sudan
   • UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned reports of mass atrocities against civilians in El Fasher
   • The city was overrun by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces last month, after a 500-day siege
5. 2026-02-09 [International Relations] — UN Addresses Sudan War Crimes, Migrant Deaths, Child Labor
   The UN human rights chief called for international intervention to stop mass killings in Sudan, blaming paramilitary forces for atrocities. 53 migrants, including two babies, are believed to have drowned off the coast of Libya. The ILO is leading an international push in Marrakech to combat child labor, which still impacts 138 million children worldwide.
   More details

   UPSC Angle: Not exam-relevant

   Key Facts:

   • UN human rights chief Volker Türk called for intervention in Sudan
   • Blames paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for atrocity crimes in El Fasher
   • 53 migrants, including two babies, drowned off the coast of Libya
   • 138 million children are employed illegally around the world
   • 87 million children working are in Africa
   • More than 50 million of the total are involved in hazardous work