Sudan’s military said it carried out its first resupply airdrop in nearly five months to its surrounded base in El Fasher, North Darfur, early Monday, flying a cargo aircraft over the city to deliver ammunition, food, and medicine to the 6th Infantry Division. The operation was intended to sustain troops hemmed in by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and to reestablish a supply line that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) halted in April after the RSF downed a fighter jet. The army said the drop “boosted the morale of our forces.”
The aircraft—described locally as an Antonov—released pallets inside the compound without drawing anti-aircraft fire, according to initial field reporting. The garrison has been under tight siege for months as the RSF tightened its grip on approaches to the city. Analysts warn El Fasher, home to sprawling displacement camps, could fall unless the army finds a way to reinforce and resupply by air or overland.
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El Fasher is the last state capital in Darfur where the SAF maintains a foothold. Its collapse would mark a major strategic gain for the RSF and deepen a humanitarian emergency already ranked among the world’s worst. The broader war between the SAF and RSF erupted in April 2023, fracturing Sudan’s security apparatus, killing tens of thousands, and forcing millions from their homes. International mediators have struggled to broker a durable ceasefire; aid agencies say access remains perilous, with hospitals, water, and food systems under severe strain.
Monday’s drop signals the army’s intent to contest the siege while testing whether limited air corridors can be kept open. Whether the SAF can scale up flights—or secure ground routes—will shape the fate of El Fasher and the civilians sheltering around it.