RSF Kills 19 in Seizure of Sudan’s al-Nahud, Eyes Strategic Advance on Darfur Capital
The Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have captured the strategic city of al-Nahud in West Kordofan, killing at least 19 people and injuring 37 others in the process, according to local sources speaking to Al Jazeera. This latest offensive signals the RSF’s renewed push to control Darfur’s capital, el-Fasher — a key stronghold still held by Sudan’s regular army.
The RSF claimed on Telegram that it had “liberated” al-Nahud, which lies 400km east of el-Fasher. Eyewitnesses reported that RSF fighters rampaged through the city, looting homes, shops, and vehicles. Among the dead were a police officer, a journalist, and a local doctor.
Since the outbreak of Sudan’s devastating civil war in 2023, tens of thousands have been killed, with more than 12 million people displaced. The battle for al-Nahud is crucial for RSF’s strategy after their recent loss of Khartoum to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The group has since shifted focus to dominating Darfur, where 542 civilians have died in the past three weeks alone, according to UN figures.
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens in Darfur and Beyond
Violence has surged in and around el-Fasher, as well as in nearby refugee camps like Zamzam and Abu Shouk. The attacks have forced hundreds of thousands of civilians to flee through the desert to Tawila, around 60km away.
In addition to its advance in Darfur, the RSF resumed shelling parts of Khartoum, striking the presidential palace and the army’s General Command headquarters in two separate attacks over the past week.
The RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (commonly known as “Hemedti”), and the SAF, commanded by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, have split Sudan into rival zones of control — with the SAF dominating the north and east, while the RSF holds sway across Darfur and parts of the south.
International Condemnation Grows
The United Nations and human rights groups continue to sound alarms over widespread atrocities. On Thursday, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned that “the horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds,” citing evidence of extrajudicial executions and indiscriminate violence committed by both RSF and SAF forces.
Meanwhile, humanitarian access remains severely restricted, as the conflict further destabilizes an already fragile region, deepening famine risk and civilian suffering.
