Carlos Taylhardat | 3 Narratives News | September 19, 2025
Morning prayers turned to a massacre in El-Fasher. As the RSF presses its siege, the Sudanese conflict exposes a truth larger than territory: civilians are the frontline.
On Friday morning, a drone strike tore through a mosque in El-Fasher, Darfur, killing at least 78 people during prayers. Medics told the BBC that more than 20 others were injured, while rescuers struggled to extract bodies from the rubble. Blame has fallen on the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who have besieged the city for more than a year. But the RSF has not claimed responsibility.
El-Fasher, home to 300,000 civilians, is the last army stronghold in Darfur. Its fall would mark not just a military loss but the collapse of a city already at the edge of famine, displacement, and ethnic cleansing.
The Security Justification
For the RSF and its defenders, El-Fasher is a battlefield target. The city hosts the headquarters of the Sudanese army’s division and its airport. Satellite images verified by Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab show RSF units advancing on army compounds. From this view, the mosque strike is collateral damage in a larger struggle for control of Western Sudan.
Supporters frame it as inevitable: a brutal war between two generals, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (army) and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, or “Hemedti” (RSF). The victims are the civilians tragically caught in the middle.
The Atrocity Reading
But for many Sudanese and international observers, this was no accident. Striking a mosque during morning prayers looks less like a military necessity and more like a massacre. The UN warns of the “increasing ethnicisation” of the conflict, with both sides accused of targeting communities suspected of supporting the other. Yet reports from Doctors Without Borders describe RSF fighters openly discussing plans to “clean El-Fasher” of its non-Arab residents.
If true, the drone strike fits a wider pattern: terror not just against an army, but against whole communities.
The Silent Story
Behind the headlines of generals and drones lies the story of ordinary Sudanese. Families praying at dawn, children in displacement camps, medics working under siege. Darfur has long been synonymous with atrocities, but the silence of the world grows louder as each strike falls.
More than 8 million people have been displaced since fighting erupted in 2023. Yet Sudan rarely makes global headlines compared with Ukraine or Gaza. Aid is collapsing. Hunger is spreading. And those trapped in El-Fasher now face a double threat: the bombs above, and the slow violence of starvation below.
Key Takeaways
- A drone strike on a Darfur mosque killed at least 78 worshippers during morning prayers.
- The RSF, which besieges El-Fasher, is accused of the attack but has not claimed responsibility.
- UN and NGOs warn of ethnic cleansing as 300,000 civilians remain trapped in the city.
- The war risks splitting Sudan in two — RSF in the west, army in the east and north.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in El-Fasher?
A mosque was struck by a drone during morning prayers, killing at least 78. Medics say bodies are still being recovered.
Who is to blame for the strike?
Residents and observers blame the RSF, though the group has not claimed responsibility.
Why is El-Fasher important?
It is the last army stronghold in Darfur, home to 300,000 civilians and a key military base and airport.
What are the humanitarian concerns?
The UN and NGOs warn of famine, ethnic cleansing, and mass displacement if the city falls.
Why does the world pay so little attention?
Analysts point to competing global crises, limited media access, and geopolitical disinterest compared with conflicts like Ukraine.
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