Sudanese journalist killed in RSF shelling of El Fasher

October 4, 2025 (EL FASHER) – A Sudanese journalist died on Saturday from injuries sustained after his home in El Fasher, North Darfur, was shelled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese Journalists Syndicate (SJS) said.

The killing of journalist Al-Nour Suleiman drew condemnation from press groups. He was wounded in the shelling on Friday and taken to the Saudi Hospital, the only operational hospital in the besieged city, the syndicate said in a statement.

Suleiman had worked as a correspondent and presenter for local radio stations and was also a media director for the North Darfur state governor’s office, the SJS said.

His death highlights the dangerous conditions for reporters in the city. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said this month that journalists in El Fasher face a siege by the RSF, confronting violence, hunger, and constant bombardment.

The CPJ cited one female journalist who said three armed men raided her home in September and gang-raped her as punishment for her work. She was unable to access emergency medical care, the New York-based group said.

Journalists in the city operate amid severe restrictions from warring parties, frequent power and internet outages, and food shortages that affect the entire population, press freedom advocates say.

The RSF has laid siege to El Fasher for months, blocking the entry of aid and medicine. The group has built earthen berms around the city and deployed fighters in surrounding villages, according to residents.

In recent months, RSF forces advanced into a displacement camp and residential areas, forcing many residents to flee to the city’s south, which subsequently came under artillery and drone attacks.