The Siege of El Fasher: An Analysis of the Situation and Legal Landscape

By Brigadier Police (Ret.)
Omar Mohamed Osman
According to Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab, satellite imagery has shown that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia has constructed earthen barriers stretching nearly 31 kilometres, encircling the city of El Fasher from three main directions. This move followed the militia’s takeover of the Zamzam IDP camp south of the city, giving it a strategic position to control civilian movement and supply routes.
In this article, we seek to examine the dimensions of the siege from two key perspectives: the political–military aspect and the framework of international law, while highlighting the national perspective that affirms the Armed Forces and Joint Forces’ ability to withstand and break the siege.

First: The Political–Military Dimension
Through these barriers, the militia aims to impose new realities on the ground, thereby placing itself in a position of power against the city and its inhabitants. It is wagered that the continuation of the siege will eventually wear down the Armed Forces and Joint Forces, compelling them to accept conditions dictated from outside.
Yet, a reading of El Fasher’s recent military history – a city that has withstood more than 335 battles – reveals that such a wager is unrealistic. The Armed Forces, Police, Central Reserve, and Joint Forces are not in a posture of surrender, but rather in a strategic defensive position, intended to preserve the cohesion of the home front until the right moment arrives to break the siege. As one of the old commanders once said: “Our trenches are our graves.” This was not an empty slogan but an authentic expression of a deeply rooted combat doctrine.
Second: The Humanitarian Dimension
The current siege represents one of the gravest threats to civilian life, cutting off food and medicine and sealing off safe routes for displacement. This situation creates an extremely fragile environment that could lead to soaring mortality rates and grave humanitarian violations.
Nonetheless, the local community in El Fasher has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability in the face of extraordinary conditions throughout this ordeal. This reinforces the conviction that the will of the population, supported by the steadfastness of the Armed Forces and other regular forces, is capable of breaking the blockade, regardless of its duration.

Third: The Framework of International Law
Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions (1977), Article 54, prohibits the use of starvation as a method of warfare.
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court classifies the systematic targeting of civilians through siege as a crime against humanity.
Accordingly, the earthen barriers surrounding El Fasher cannot be considered mere military fortifications; they are clear evidence of serious violations of international humanitarian law.

Fourth: Implications and Options
Domestically: The reliance remains on the capacity of the Armed Forces, other regular forces, mobilised volunteers, and Joint Forces to manage the siege wisely through field resilience and by sustaining the morale of the population, while awaiting the opportune moment to change the balance.
Internationally: It is essential that humanitarian and regional organisations exert greater pressure to open safe corridors, while documenting violations in a manner that would enable future accountability of perpetrators.

Conclusion
The siege of El Fasher is not merely a military event; it is a dual test: a test of international law in its ability to protect civilians, and a test of national will in resisting attempts at subjugation.
With full confidence that the Armed Forces, other regular forces, mobilised volunteers, and Joint Forces – supported by the local community – are capable of resilience and breaking the siege, talk of surrender or submission is nothing but an illusion. Past experience makes it clear that El Fasher is not a city easily besieged, and that the ring of earth built around it may tomorrow stand not as a symbol of El Fasher’s defeat, but as testimony to the militia’s failure.

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