---
title: "Thousands Reportedly Detained as RSF Tightens Grip on Sudan’s El-Fasher"
date: 2026-04-27
modified: 2026-04-28
author: ""
url: https://panamadaily.news/sudan-rsf-detentions-elfasher/
categories:
  - "Politics"
  - "World"
tags:
  - "civil war"
  - "Darfur"
  - "el-Fasher"
  - "human rights"
  - "RSF"
  - "Sudan"
---

# Thousands Reportedly Detained as RSF Tightens Grip on Sudan’s El-Fasher

Thousands of people have been detained by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in the city of el-Fasher, with women and children among those being held, according to the Sudan Doctors Network. The reported mass detentions come as the war in Sudan continues to devastate Darfur and deepen one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

## What Happened

El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has become a central battleground in Sudan’s war between the RSF and the Sudanese armed forces. The Sudan Doctors Network says the RSF is holding thousands of civilians in the city, including hundreds of women and children.

The detentions add to mounting concern over the fate of civilians trapped in areas where front lines have shifted repeatedly and access to food, medical care and safe passage has grown increasingly limited. Darfur has already seen widespread displacement and allegations of atrocities during the conflict, which began in April 2023 after a power struggle between rival military factions exploded into open war.

## Background

The RSF emerged from the Janjaweed militias that were blamed for mass killings and abuses in Darfur two decades ago, and the group has been accused throughout the current war of carrying out attacks on civilians, ethnic violence and widespread looting. El-Fasher has carried added significance because it is one of the last major cities in Darfur not fully controlled by the RSF, making it a strategic prize for both sides.

Sudan’s war has displaced millions of people, destroyed hospitals and infrastructure, and triggered severe hunger in several regions. Aid groups have repeatedly warned that civilians in besieged or contested cities face the highest risk, especially when roads are cut, markets collapse and health facilities are overwhelmed or forced to close. The humanitarian crisis has also rippled beyond Sudan’s borders, sending refugees into Chad, South Sudan and other neighboring countries.

## Why It Matters

Mass detentions in el-Fasher raise fresh alarms about civilian protection in a conflict that has already produced extensive displacement and credible reports of abuses. Any escalation in Darfur is likely to worsen the humanitarian emergency and complicate efforts to secure aid access or negotiate local ceasefires.

For Panama and Latin America, the direct impact is limited, but the conflict remains relevant as part of a broader global crisis that affects migration patterns, food security and international humanitarian priorities. As wars in Africa and the Middle East compete for attention and aid, the scale of suffering in Sudan underscores the strain on global institutions tasked with responding to crises before they spread further.