Hundreds Killed in Sudan’s El-Fasher After Paramilitary Seizure
Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are accused of killing hundreds of people, including patients in a hospital, after seizing control of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, over the weekend, prompting international condemnation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 460 patients and companions were reportedly killed at Saudi Maternity Hospital in el-Fasher, with Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stating the organization was “appalled and deeply shocked” by the reports. The Sudan Doctors Network confirmed that RSF fighters “cold-bloodedly killed everyone they found inside the Saudi Hospital,” including patients and staff. This latest violence exacerbates an already dire humanitarian crisis in Sudan, which has been gripped by conflict since April 2023.
Witnesses who fled el-Fasher described widespread atrocities, with residents like Umm Amena, a mother of four, stating, “The Janjaweed showed no mercy for anyone.” RSF commander Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo acknowledged “abuses” by his forces on Wednesday and announced an investigation, though details remain scarce. The Yale School of Public Health’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) corroborated reports of executions around the Saudi Hospital and a former Children’s Hospital using satellite imagery. The United Nations migration agency estimates approximately 35,000 people have fled el-Fasher since Sunday, joining over 650,000 already displaced in the region. For more information on the conflict, see Human Rights Watch’s coverage of Sudan.
International outrage is growing, with France, Germany, the U.K., and the European Union condemning the attacks. U.S. Senator Jim Risch called for the RSF to be designated a foreign terrorist organization, stating the group has “waged terror and committed unspeakable atrocities” against the Sudanese people. Officials say further investigations are underway and are urging all parties to protect civilians.
