The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have captured El-Fasher, the Sudanese army’s last stronghold in Darfur, after a siege lasting over 17 months.
At least 1,500 civilians were reportedly killed within two days during the RSF’s offensive, with rights groups describing the situation as “a true genocide.”
Regional powers including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and Jordan have condemned the RSF’s actions and called for an immediate ceasefire and protection of civilians.
Thousands of people have been killed in attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as they captured the city of el-Fasher in Sudan’s western Darfur region on Sunday after 18 month of siege, according to medical groups and researchers.
The RSF has reportedly killed at least 1,500 people over the past three days as civilians tried to flee the besieged city, the Sudan Doctors Network said on Wednesday. The group, which monitors the civil war, described the situation as “a true genocide.”
In the last two days, at least 26,000 have fled the city and set towards Tawila, 70km to the west, the UN said. Around 1,77,000 people remain trapped in el-Fasher, according to the International Organization for Migration. Entry of food and essentials had been blocked to El-Fasher over the past 18 months.
On Monday, SAF commander and de facto leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan said that his troops had withdrawn from el-Fasher to save the population from “the systemic destruction and the systemic killing of civilians” by the RSF.
However, he said that the army is determined to avenge what happened to "our people in el-Fasher.”
The RSF continues to say that aim it to “unify Sudan” under a “true democracy”, its leader, Mohammed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, said on Wednesday. He also stated that any individuals found to have committed crimes against civilians would be held accountable.
The RSF, a paramilitary force, has been fighting Sudan’s military for control over Sudan, and the country has been at a bloody civil war since 2023. Sudanese rights groups have warned that an RSF taking control of el-Fasher would result in the targeted killings of sedentary, “non-Arab” tribes.
Since its beginning, the conflict has already killed tens of thousands and displaced more than 12 million people.
The Sudan Doctors Network described the latest escalation as “a true genocide.”
“The massacres the world is witnessing today are an extension of what occurred in el-Fasher more than a year and a half ago, when over 14,000 civilians were killed through bombing, starvation, and extrajudicial executions,” the group said. It added that the attacks form part of a “deliberate and systematic campaign of killing and extermination.”
Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab has also warned of mass killings, collecting data through satellite imagery of el-Fasher after the RSF advanced into the city, The organisation reported clusters of objects consistent with the size of human bodies, along with large areas of red discolouration on the ground.
“The scale is immense, from the earthen berm, the wall that now surrounds el-Fasher, to specific neighbourhoods, such as Daraja Oula, to hospitals and humanitarian facilities. We are seeing objects that measure between 1.5 to 2 metres [5 to 6.5 feet], which is the standard length of a human body, lying horizontal, as seen in satellite imagery at high resolution,” Nathaniel Raymond, HRL’s executive director, told Al Jazeera.
The UN Human Rights Office said the RSF’s actions included summary executions of people attempting to flee, and that there were “indications of ethnic motivations for killings.”
How have other countries reacted?
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and Jordan have condemned the RSF’s abuses in Sudan.
Saudi Arabia expressed “deep concern” over grave human rights violations and urged the RSF to protect civilians. Egypt called for an immediate humanitarian truce and pledged ongoing support to help Sudan overcome the crisis.
Turkey demanded an end to hostilities in el-Fasher and safe passage for humanitarian aid, while condemning “atrocities against civilians” and urging dialogue for a peaceful solution. Qatar also denounced the “horrific violations” and called for negotiations to end the conflict.
Egypt, Turkey and Qatar reaffirmed their support for Sudan’s unity and sovereignty, while Jordan likewise condemned the violence and called for restraint and an urgent ceasefire to protect civilians.
(with inputs from Al Jazeera)
