Sudan’s RSF clears north Darfur village for military base

September 16, 2025 (EL FASHER) – Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday forcibly displaced residents from the village of Tura, north of El Fasher, to convert it into a military post, a military source said.

The source told Sudan Tribune the base is intended to secure the movements of the paramilitary group’s commanders. This development occurs amid escalating military operations in El Fasher and a sharp deterioration in humanitarian conditions, including severe shortages of food and shelter.

Witnesses who fled to the nearby town of Mellit told Sudan Tribune that a large RSF force stormed Tura and ordered residents to leave immediately, triggering a mass displacement of thousands.

Some of the displaced have opted to flee towards Libya to escape the worsening security and humanitarian crisis, witnesses said.

Tura had been a key commercial hub since the war began in April 2023. Its market was a vital economic lifeline for nearby villages and El Fasher, providing essential goods as supply chains collapsed.

The RSF has previously killed civilians it accused of smuggling food, medicine, and fuel into the besieged city.

In March, Tura’s market was hit by a deadly airstrike that killed dozens of civilians, including women and children. The Sudanese army was blamed for the attack.

RSF forces gave no reason for the expulsion, witnesses said. However, the military source indicated the group aims to deploy new reinforcements and install jamming and communications systems to protect its senior commanders.

The displacement coincided with a video circulated on RSF platforms showing the group’s second-in-command, Abdel Rahim Dagalo, touring the outskirts of El Fasher.