Sudan army denies RSF gains in El Fasher

November 12, 2024 (EL FASHER) – The Sudanese army on Tuesday denied reports that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had made advances in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, insisting the city remained under government control.

The Sixth Infantry Division, responsible for security in El Fasher, dismissed social media claims that the RSF had bypassed army positions at the main market and police headquarters.

“The situation in El Fasher is under control, and our forces are advancing and open on all fronts,” the division stated.

The army said it was conducting successful ground and air strikes against RSF “rebel” strongholds.

Ahmed Hussein Mustafa, a spokesperson for an alliance of armed groups fighting alongside the army, also asserted that El Fasher was secure. He accused the RSF of spreading disinformation to sow panic among residents.

Mustafa said the army and its allies, including the Joint Force, the Popular Defence Force “Qashn,” the Popular Resistance, the police, and the General Intelligence Service, had repelled over 150 RSF attacks.

He added that the joint force was planning to go on the offensive to “clear the entire Darfur region and Sudan of the Janjaweed” – a derogatory term used to refer to the RSF.

El Fasher is one of the last urban areas in Darfur that are still under government control. The RSF has been trying to capture it for months.