SLM urges swift army action to save El Fasher from RSF offensive
April 13, 2025 (EL FASHER) – A spokesperson for the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM), led by Minni Arko Minawi, on Sunday urged the army leadership to act swiftly to save the city of El Fasher from a violent attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The SLM’s appeal followed an RSF announcement that it had seized control of the Zamzam camp for displaced people, located 12 km (about 7.5 miles) southwest of El Fasher.
“The leadership of the Armed Forces must move quickly to save the lives of about 1.5 million people in El Fasher by supporting the army, the joint force, and supporters,” the SLM spokesperson, Al-Sadiq Ali Al-Nur, said in a statement. “This must happen as soon as possible so that a catastrophe does not occur, as happened in El Geneina in West Darfur state.”
Al-Nur said the “barbaric and brutal attack” on Zamzam camp displaced tens of thousands of people, forcing them to flee towards El Fasher city on foot since Saturday morning. With homes in El Fasher unable to accommodate the influx, many sought refuge in shelter centres and schools, slept outdoors under trees or in the sun, and lacked adequate water, food, and medicine, he added.
Al-Nur also said that combat air sorties and aid drop flights had stopped, leading to reports spreading among the displaced that no further aid would be delivered by air.
Separately, activists loyal to armed movements have over the past three days demanded air force support for fighters in Zamzam and El Fasher city and called for action to disperse RSF forces allegedly planning large-scale attacks on the area.
“The militia (RSF) continues its dirty march of ethnic cleansing, as happened in El Geneina and elsewhere,” al-Nur said. “They boast of their racism and document their crimes themselves through videos. This is conclusive evidence that the militia wants to bring about demographic change throughout Darfur and bring in new settlers from the Arab diaspora.”
He warned that the fall of El Fasher could lead to the successive fall of other Sudanese cities. Highlighting the contributions of the joint forces in liberating several states, al-Nur called for a coordinated move towards Darfur with other regular forces.
Al-Nur questioned the status of a force assembled more than two months ago in Al-Dabba, Northern State, intended to break the siege on El Fasher.
In February, Sudanese Sovereign Council member Yasir al-Atta and Darfur region governor Minni Arko Minawi addressed a large gathering of army and joint force troops in Al-Dabba. Both officials stated at the time that the force was ready to move to end the siege of El Fasher.
Separately, Mohamed Bashir Abunommo, the minister of minerals and an SLM leader, said after meeting Sovereign Council member Yasir al-Atta on Saturday that they had discussed “with great concern” the crimes against civilians, doctors, and aid workers in Zamzam camp.
“We affirmed that what is happening is a fully-fledged crime that is not subject to a statute of limitations,” Abunommo added. “We agreed that breaking the siege on El Fasher and providing urgent support to its people must be at the forefront of priorities… considering it a national and moral duty.”