El-Fasher's Siege Intensifies as Massive Earthen Barrier Constructed

Sat Sep 13 2025 19:22:17 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Yale research reveals a significant earthen wall is being erected around the besieged Sudanese city of El-Fasher, exacerbating humanitarian crises and targeting civilians amid ongoing conflict.

Recent satellite images indicate that an extensive earthen barrier, spanning over 31 kilometers, is being constructed around El-Fasher, a city under siege by paramilitary forces for more than a year. This development, documented by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab, aims to trap civilians, intensifying the conflict and making escape nearly impossible. With attacks on civilian areas resulting in numerous casualties, the humanitarian situation in El-Fasher continues to deteriorate, prompting calls for international intervention.

Satellite imagery reveals that a massive earthen wall is being erected around the Sudanese city of El-Fasher, indicating a deliberate effort to trap the local population. The construction of this barrier, documented by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab, stretches over 31 kilometers as paramilitary forces step up their efforts to control the area.

El-Fasher, which has been under siege for more than a year, represents a crucial stronghold in Darfur for the Sudanese army, which has been in conflict with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023. Recent reports have highlighted an increase in violence against civilians, with the Sudan Doctors Network indicating that the RSF has intensified their offensive, targeting civilian areas.

Dr. Mohamed Faisal Hassan from the Sudan Doctors Network reported tragic incidents, including a recent shelling that led to the deaths of nearly 24 civilians and injuries to more than 55, including women and children. Victims continue to fall prey to assaults on markets and hospitals as the RSF advances its campaign.

The strategic construction of these barricades not only limits the mobility of civilians but also complicates the delivery of essential supplies, leaving approximately 300,000 residents trapped amid escalating violence. Several humanitarian organizations have struggled to access El-Fasher, exacerbating the challenges of food scarcity and medical care.

The ongoing construction of the earthen wall signals a tactical shift by the RSF, aiming for a complete takeover of Darfur should El-Fasher fall. This potential outcome raises alarms of a deeper conflict and division within Sudan, as each faction appears to assert control over different territories.

Former central Darfur governor, Adeeb Abdel Rahman Youssef, has urged the United Nations Security Council to intervene and protect the civilians suffering from this brutal siege. Activists stress this dire need for international vigilance as the humanitarian crisis in El-Fasher escalates, making escape or access to aid increasingly perilous for its inhabitants.