What is Darfur / El Fasher?
El Fasher is the capital of North Darfur in western Sudan. Since April 2023, Sudan’s war between the national army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has turned the city from an aid and trade hub into a frontline. Roads in and out have been cut or unsafe, so food, water, and medicine often can’t reach people. Markets are mostly empty, fuel is scarce, and many clinics and hospitals have been damaged or closed. Shelling and gunfire have hit civilian areas, and people who try to leave face dangerous routes toward places like Tawila with little protection. In short: El Fasher is a densely populated city where large numbers of civilians are trapped or fleeing, basic services have collapsed, and humanitarian access is severely restricted.
Current developments: On October 28, 2025, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized El Fasher, the Sudanese army’s last major stronghold in Darfur, after months of siege. Independent investigators and major outlets report that the takeover left large numbers of civilians trapped amid raids, detentions, and killings; Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab has published satellite analysis indicating likely mass-killing sites around the city’s defensive berms. Medical NGOs confirm the immediate fallout: MSF teams 60 km away in Tawila are receiving people fleeing El Fasher with gunshot wounds and severe acute malnutrition, and they warn many more remain stuck without safe passage. With roads blocked and services degraded, humanitarian access is extremely limited and the risk of further atrocities is high. In plain terms: the RSF now controls the city; civilians are being injured, killed, or forced to flee on unsafe routes; and urgent international action is required to open protected corridors and stop external supply lines that fuel the assault.
What do people need?
Protection & access now
– Stop strikes on civilians and clinics. Open a safe corridor El Fasher → Tawila so families can get out and get care. Keep the Adré (Chad) crossing open so food and medicine can reach Darfur.
Accountability & pressure
Tighten and enforce the Darfur arms embargo (UNSC 1591), expand it country-wide, and sanction the financiers/logistics that feed RSF supply lines (including conflict-gold routes). Use UN channels; if the Security Council stalls, press national measures and public reporting. (Note: the ICJ did not take up Sudan’s case against the UAE on jurisdiction grounds so political and economic pressure matters even more.)
Locally led relief
Back Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), neighborhood teams running kitchens, water points, and basic care where big agencies can’t safely reach. They are a proven backbone of aid inside Sudan.
What governments need to do
- Use Article 8 of the Genocide Convention to formally request that the United Nations act now to protect civilians in Darfur.
- At the UN Security Council, extend the Darfur arms embargo to all of Sudan, fund and task the UN monitoring team, and require flight and cargo checks on the Chad routes that resupply fighters; relevant legislation to support these steps is already pending and should be advanced and passed.
- If the Security Council is blocked by a veto, convene an emergency session of the UN General Assembly within 24 hours to recommend these measures and to establish protected humanitarian corridors from El Fasher to Tawila.
- At the national level, expand targeted sanctions and financial advisories on conflict-gold and logistics networks feeding the RSF, and audit charter and IL-76 flights into Chad while sharing cargo manifests with UN monitors.
STEPS YOU CAN TAKE
- Please call one national lawmaker and your Foreign Ministry using the scripts provided below.
- Please email them the same requests using the subject line provided.
- Please post one verified fact and one clear ask, for example: “Families are fleeing from El Fasher to Tawila. Please open protected corridors and extend and enforce the embargo.”
- Please invite three friends to complete these steps as well.
PLAIN-ENGLISH EXPLAINERS (WHAT TO ASK FOR AND WHY)
- Ask for the invocation of Article 8 of the Genocide Convention and file a formal request asking the United Nations to act under the UN Charter to protect civilians in Darfur.
- At the UN Security Council, ask for the extension of the Darfur arms embargo to all of Sudan, allocate resources to the UN Panel of Experts to monitor and report, and require flight and cargo checks on the Chad routes that resupply armed groups.
- If a veto blocks action at the Security Council, ask for the convening of an emergency session of the UN General Assembly within twenty-four hours to adopt recommendations for embargo expansion, cargo monitoring, and protected humanitarian corridors from El Fasher to Tawila.
- At the national level, ask for expanded and targeted sanctions and issue financial and trade advisories on conflict-gold and logistics networks linked to the RSF, and instruct aviation and customs authorities to audit Chad-bound charter and IL-76 flights and share cargo manifests with UN monitors.
Guide to contacting your countries
UNITED STATES (all templates below)
Who to contact today
- Your two Senators
- Your House Representative
- U.S. Department of State (Africa bureau/public line)
- U.S. Mission to the UN
UNITED KINGDOM
Who to contact
- Your MP
- FCDO (Foreign Office)
- UK Mission to the UN
CANADA
Who to contact
- Your MP
- Global Affairs Canada
- Canada’s UN Mission
EU MEMBER STATES (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, etc.)
Who to contact
- Foreign Ministry
- Your MP/Deputy
- Your country’s UN Mission
AUSTRALIA / NEW ZEALAND
Who to contact
- Your MP/Senator
- DFAT/MFAT
- UN Mission
ORGANIZATION / INSTITUTION PRESSURE (YOU CAN DO THIS LOCALLY)
- Universities, pensions, companies: adopt a conflict-gold policy; treat UAE-linked bullion flows as high risk; require verified origin or suspend purchases until verified.
- Shippers/insurers: deny cover for Chad-bound charters without end-use checks and manifest sharing to UN monitors.
Email template:
TEMPLATE 1 — NATIONAL LAWMAKER (MP/SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE)
Subject: EL FASHER — Act now: UN request, wider embargo, cargo checks, protected corridors
Body: Dear TITLE LASTNAME, I’m a constituent in CITY/POSTAL_CODE writing about the emergency in El Fasher, Darfur. Please take the following actions this week: formally file the genocide-treaty request (“Article 8”) to ask the UN to act under the Charter; at the UN Security Council extend and enforce the Darfur arms embargo (UNSC 1591) to all of Sudan, fund and task the UN Panel of Experts, and require flight/cargo monitoring on the Chad routes that resupply fighters; if a veto blocks the Council, support a 24-hour Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly (“Uniting for Peace”) recommending embargo expansion, cargo monitoring, and protected humanitarian corridors from El Fasher to Tawila; and, in parallel at home, expand sanctions and finance/trade advisories on conflict-gold and logistics networks tied to RSF resupply, and audit charter/IL-76 flights into Chad with manifests shared to UN monitors. Please reply with the steps your office will take this week. Sincerely, FULL_NAME, FULL_ADDRESS, PHONE, EMAIL.
TEMPLATE 2 — FOREIGN MINISTRY (State Dept / FCDO / Global Affairs / MFA)
Subject: Immediate steps on El Fasher — UN request, 1591 extension, cargo monitoring, protected corridors
Body: Dear TITLE LASTNAME / TEAM, given the RSF capture of El Fasher, please implement these measures immediately: file the formal UN request under the Genocide Convention (“Article 8”) to place protection of civilians on the UN’s agenda; at the Security Council extend and enforce UNSC 1591 to all of Sudan, resource and task the Panel of Experts to track Chad-route flights/cargo and financing chains (gold/logistics) with frequent public reporting, and mandate end-use checks and manifest sharing; if the Council is blocked, call a 24-hour Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly (“Uniting for Peace”) to recommend embargo expansion, cargo monitoring, and protected corridors from El Fasher to Tawila; and, in parallel, expand targeted sanctions and finance/trade advisories on conflict-gold and logistics nodes, direct aviation/transport regulators to audit Chad-bound charters and share manifests with UN monitors, and keep the Adré (Chad) crossing open with weekly public truck counts. Please confirm what actions the Ministry will take this week. Sincerely, FULL_NAME, CITY/COUNTRY, PHONE, EMAIL.
TEMPLATE 3 — COUNTRY’S MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS (New York)
Subject: Urgent UN action — Article 8 filing, 1591 extension, cargo monitoring, protected corridors (El Fasher)
Body: Excellency / Dear Mission Team, as a citizen of COUNTRY I request urgent steps on El Fasher, Darfur: support or submit the Article 8 filing so UN bodies are formally called upon to act under the Charter now; at the Security Council co-sponsor text to extend the Darfur arms embargo (1591) to all of Sudan, resource and task the Panel of Experts, and require flight/cargo monitoring on the Chad corridor (end-use checks and manifest sharing to the Panel); if a veto prevents action, convene an Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly within 24 hours (“Uniting for Peace”) recommending embargo expansion, cargo monitoring, and protected humanitarian corridors from El Fasher to Tawila; and provide a public update on actions and timelines so the public can support. Please advise what steps the Mission will take this week. Respectfully, FULL_NAME, CITY/COUNTRY, PHONE, EMAIL.
TEMPLATE 4 — INSTITUTIONS THAT CAN CUT FINANCE/LOGISTICS (university, pension fund, refiner, shipper, insurer, corporate)
Subject: Immediate Sudan actions — conflict-gold policy and Chad-route cargo controls
Body: Hello NAME/TEAM, in light of the El Fasher emergency please adopt these immediate measures: publish a conflict-gold policy that treats UAE-linked bullion flows as high risk, require verified origin (not “transit via Dubai”) or suspend purchases until origin is verified, and screen vendors/investments for exposure to RSF-linked traders, refiners, or logistics with pause/divest or enhanced due diligence actions on a set timeline; and for logistics/insurance, deny cover for opaque Chad-bound charter/IL-76 flights without full end-use checks and manifest sharing with UN monitors, and implement internal red-flag alerts for Sudan conflict-gold and dual-use parts. Please reply with the actions you will implement this week and any public statement we can share to encourage peers. Thank you, FULL_NAME, ROLE/ORGANIZATION (if relevant), CITY/COUNTRY, PHONE, EMAIL.u can, and let your initiative grow naturally. Remember: it is much easier to make a difference and take action that we think. It has never been easier
Spread awareness about Sudan:
Most people don’t know what’s happening in Sudan. The war has displaced 13 million people. Famine is spreading. Cholera is killing. Over 30 million need help. This is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, yet it gets almost no attention.
In El Fasher, the last major city in North Darfur, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) took control on October 26, 2025. They had surrounded the city for 18 months, blocking food and medicine. Now, reports say 1,500 to 2,000 civilians were killed in the streets, many shot because of their ethnicity. This echoes the genocide in Darfur 20 years ago. About 177,000 people are still trapped. Hospitals have collapsed. Thousands are walking for days to escape, facing hunger, violence, and rape. Aid groups treat hundreds of wounded and starving children every day, but less than a third of the needed funding has arrived.
You don’t need a big voice to make a difference. Start small. Do one thing this week. Here’s how.
Show Up in Public
Walk your street with a sign that says, “Stop the Killings in El Fasher.” Record a short video. Post it. That counts. With friends, meet at a busy corner or campus. Bring signs. Play Sudanese music. Take a photo. Share it with #StandWithSudan. Small actions like this have forced the UN to act before. Yours can too.
Plan a protest in your own community, you can use 3rd party organization that can help collaborate with you in planning a protest.
Pitch Your School, Work, or Community
Send one email to a teacher, boss, or group leader. Say: “El Fasher just fell. Thousands are dead. Can we set up a table to share facts and collect donations?” Ask for a 10-minute talk, a short video, or a donation box. One email from a student last year raised thousands of pounds. Your message can do the same.
Here’s a simple email you can copy:
text
Subject: Can we talk about Sudan for 10 minutes?
Hi [Name],
The city of El Fasher in Sudan was taken by armed forces. Over 1,500 civilians were killed. 177,000 are trapped with no food or medicine. Most people don’t know.
Can we:
- Put up a table with information?
- Show a short video at a meeting?
- Start a small fundraiser?
I can help set it up.
Thank you,
[Your Name]
Post Online
Share one clear post: “El Fasher fell. 1,500+ killed. 177,000 trapped. This is happening now. Watch this [link]. Share or donate $5. #ElFasherUnderAttack” Post once or twice a week. Use real facts. Tag @UNICEF or @SudanReliefFund. Ask one friend to share it too.
Give and Push
Send $10 to Sudan Relief Fund, HRRDS, IRC, or UNICEF. It feeds a family or treats a child. Sign a petition on Avaaz.org to stop weapons going to Sudan. Email your government representative: “Fund aid for El Fasher survivors now.”
Stay With It
This work is heavy. Do it with someone. Share wins. A post seen by 20 people is progress. People in Sudan are surviving on nothing. They keep going. We can keep speaking.
What will you do this week? Send the email. Take the walk. Make the post. Then tell someone. Keep Sudan in the light.
Remember, you are powerful and you can make a difference.
Please contact: Coalitionfortigray@gmail.com if need help, have questions/comments/concerns.
Coalition For Tigray 