By Micah Jonah, February 25 ,2026
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched a large-scale assault on the town of Misteriha, killing at least 28 people and injuring 39, including 10 women, according to the Sudan Doctors Network. The attack also destroyed the town’s only health centre, one healthcare worker remains missing.
The RSF, formed from the Janjaweed militia, has a history of ethnic violence in Darfur. The assault targeted the home of Arab tribal leader Musa Hilal, who has voiced support for Sudan’s government despite his ethnic alignment with the RSF. Drone strikes preceded the ground offensive, marking a coordinated attack.
Emergency Lawyers reported that RSF fighters torched homes, forcing residents to flee to nearby villages. The United Nations has previously documented acts of genocide by the RSF against non-Arab ethnic groups in Darfur.
The seizure of Misteriha consolidates RSF control over the region but risks escalating long-standing tribal tensions. The town’s assault follows RSF forces overrunning el-Fasher four months earlier, killing more than 6,000 people over a three-day period.
Darfur, roughly the size of France, has been devastated by conflict since April 2023, with tens of thousands killed and 11 million displaced, creating the world’s largest hunger and displacement crisis.
Authorities warn that the ongoing fighting between the RSF and Sudan’s regular army continues to threaten civilians and humanitarian operations across the region.
