Sudanese army sources have revealed that more than 8,500 soldiers have been killed in El Fasher since the war erupted in April 2023.
Officers from the 6th Infantry Division told Darfur 24 that 8,600 personnel, including about 1,000 officers, were killed between April 2023 and August 30, 2025. Darfur24 could not independently verify these figures. The division, which serves as the Sudanese army’s main base in El Fasher, North Darfur State, has been engaged in continuous fighting since May 2024, with clashes intensifying sharply in August and September 2025.
Three different sources from the division further claimed that 2,400 soldiers were wounded, most of them permanently disabled and removed from the front lines. They added that despite the heavy losses, army units and allied forces continue to defend the city.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have advanced into residential neighborhoods amid intense artillery shelling and drone strikes, targeting both military positions and civilian areas. Shelling and incursions have forced large numbers of residents to flee their homes.
Army officers said there are no official statistics on casualties among allied forces, but hundreds are believed to have been killed since mid-April 2023. Another officer disclosed that over 3,000 soldiers deserted during the conflict, mostly from allied units, citing deteriorating living conditions and psychological trauma, including anxiety and post-traumatic stress.
Over the past three months, El Fasher has endured catastrophic humanitarian conditions, as fighting between the army, its allies, and the RSF escalates. According to the Ministry of Health, more than 300 civilians have been killed, hundreds wounded, and thousands displaced to Mellit, Tawila, Korma, and the Jebel Marra region.
The RSF has maintained a tight siege on El Fasher since April 2024, in an attempt to seize the Sudanese army’s last major military stronghold in Darfur.
