Türkiye's Foreign Ministry issued a strongly worded statement on Tuesday condemning the recent fall of El Fasher, Sudan's last major army stronghold in the Darfur region, to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), as reports of mass killings and humanitarian catastrophe flood in from the besieged city.

The ministry expressed "deep concern" over the unfolding developments, aligning itself with a recent statement from the League of Arab States on the crisis. "We strongly condemn the atrocities committed against civilians in El Fasher, which has fallen under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)," the statement read. It called for an "immediate end to the fighting in and around El Fasher, the cessation of attacks against innocent civilians, the provision of safe passage and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance."

The remarks underscore Türkiye's longstanding support for Sudan's territorial integrity, with the ministry reiterating its "unequivocal support for the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sudan, and emphasize[ing] the importance of dialogue in finding a peaceful solution to the conflict."

El Fasher's capture marks a dramatic escalation in Sudan's civil war, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. After an 18-month siege involving relentless drone strikes, heavy artillery barrages, and a near-total blockade on aid, RSF fighters overran the city's main military base on Friday, October 25, forcing the SAF to withdraw to safer positions on Monday. SAF chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan confirmed the retreat, describing it as a tactical move amid fierce clashes that left thousands of soldiers and allied Darfuri fighters surrounded in western neighborhoods.

The RSF, led by warlord Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), now controls all five state capitals in Darfur, a vast region the size of France, effectively partitioning western Sudan from the rest of the country. Analysts warn this could lead to a de facto split of the nation, echoing the secession of South Sudan over a decade ago.

Hemedti, who was sworn in as head of the RSF's parallel government in Nyala in August, hailed the victory as a "significant turning point" toward building a "new state" based on freedom and justice.

As RSF forces consolidated control, harrowing accounts of reprisals emerged. The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) reported "grave atrocities," including summary executions of civilians attempting to flee—many targeted for alleged support of the SAF or ethnic affiliations—and the killing of former combatants who had surrendered, in violation of international humanitarian law.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned that the "risk of further large-scale, ethnically motivated violations and atrocities in El Fasher is mounting by the day."

The Guardian cited sources estimating over 2,000 unarmed civilians killed in recent days, with footage circulating on social media showing RSF fighters shooting and beating fleeing residents, including the detention of a prominent journalist, Muammar Ibrahim.

Aid groups painted a dire picture of the humanitarian fallout. Doctors Without Borders (MSF) treated over 300 people, including 15 requiring life-saving surgery, who fled to nearby health posts overnight from October 26-27, noting widespread malnutrition among children under five.

Heavy shelling last week killed dozens, including local humanitarian volunteers, at displacement shelters, exacerbating a crisis that has displaced 14 million people and left 24 million facing acute hunger—the world's worst, according to the UN.

A telecommunications blackout and Starlink outages have further isolated the city, trapping an estimated 250,000 civilians on the "edge of survival."

UN Secretary-General António Guterres decried the events as a "terrible escalation," urging the international community to pressure arms suppliers fueling the conflict.

U.S. President Donald Trump's Africa envoy, Massad Boulos, echoed calls for immediate humanitarian corridors, while critics like Avaaz's Sudan specialist Shayna Lewis accused global powers of failing to protect civilians amid a "succession of ethnically-motivated massacres."

Türkiye's intervention aligns with growing global alarm. The UN's top humanitarian official demanded an immediate ceasefire on October 26, citing attacks on hospitals and significant civilian casualties.

Despite brief resupply via SAF airdrops earlier this month, the city's encirclement by earthen berms had left it on the brink before the RSF's final push.

As the conflict enters its third year—with tens of thousands dead and funding for aid at just 27% of needs—Türkiye's emphasis on dialogue offers a rare note of optimism. Yet, with El Fasher's fall potentially reshaping Sudan's future, the window for a negotiated resolution appears narrower than ever. (ILKHA)