An extensive earthen wall is being built around the besieged Sudanese city of el-Fasher, intended to trap people inside, according to research from Yale University.
Satellite images from Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) have identified over 31 kilometers (19 miles) of berms constructed since May, surrounding territory outside the city occupied by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
El-Fasher, which has been under siege for more than a year, is the last significant foothold for Sudan's army in Darfur, embroiled in a clash with the RSF since April 2023.
The Sudan Doctors Network reported to the BBC that RSF offensives in el-Fasher are intensifying, aimed particularly at civilians.
Dr. Mohamed Faisal Hassan from the medics association described a recent shelling that killed nearly 24 civilians and injured 55 others, including five women, during attacks on a central market and residential areas labeled as deliberate and heinous.
Yale's HRL suggests the RSF is purposely creating a literal kill box around el-Fasher, complicating escape efforts for civilians and obstructing critical supplies of food and medicine.
With approximately 300,000 people trapped in the city, humanitarian organizations have struggled to gain access, and residents are experiencing bombardments, food shortages, and medical care challenges. Civilians like Halima Hashim, a mother of four, express the desperation of their situation: Staying behind was like a slow death, but leaving is dangerous.
As construction of the berm continues, experts warn that the fall of el-Fasher could give the RSF complete control of western Darfur, raising fears of further fragmentation and instability in Sudan.
Former governor Adeeb Abdel Rahman Youssef has called on the UN Security Council to intervene, emphasizing, The civilian population in el-Fasher is paying the heaviest price. There is no one to protect them.
