After an 18-month siege, the city was seized in October by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group which Sudanese army troops have been fighting since April 2023.

African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf "expresses deep concern over the escalating violence and reported atrocities" in El-Fasher, said a statement on X, condemning "alleged war crimes and ethnically targeted killings of civilians".

He also called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities and the opening of humanitarian corridors to allow life-saving aid to reach affected populations".

Youssouf emphasised there could be "no military solution" to the crisis, urging all parties to engage in dialogue to "commit to a peaceful, inclusive political process".

On Monday, Sudan's army admitted it had withdrawn from El-Fasher as the United Nations issued stark warnings over atrocities by the RSF.

The capture of the city in western Darfur could mark a significant turning point in Sudan's war, which has caused the deaths of tens of thousands of people and displaced nearly 12 million.

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