Sudan’s El-Fasher Reports Mass Atrocities Following RSF Capture

El-Fasher, the largest city in western Sudan, is experiencing widespread reports of murder, rape, and looting following its capture by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 26th, escalating a brutal civil war that has already displaced millions.

At least 36,000 people have fled El-Fasher since the RSF takeover, with many more unaccounted for, according to reports emerging from the region. Witnesses and survivors describe targeted killings of non-Arabs and widespread sexual violence, with some accounts detailing civilians being forced to bury relatives with their bare hands. The nearby Zamzam displacement camp, already overcrowded, is facing starvation and continued attacks. This latest escalation threatens to exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis in Darfur, a region with a long history of conflict.

The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) withdrew from El-Fasher after an 18-month siege, leaving the civilian population vulnerable. The RSF, led by Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo Musa (Hemedti), declared a parallel regime in April, claiming control over the entire country, a move rejected by the internationally recognized government. The conflict, rooted in a power struggle between Hemedti and General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, began in April 2023 and has been fueled by competing foreign interests in Sudan’s rich mineral resources. For more background on the complex history of the region, see the Council on Foreign Relations’ profile of Sudan.

Despite a US-led ceasefire proposal for three months to allow humanitarian aid, the SAF refused the agreement, and the RSF launched a drone attack on Khartoum yesterday. The United Nations reports that a fifth of Sudan’s population is displaced, and half – approximately 21 million people – are facing life-threatening food insecurity. The situation underscores the urgent need for international intervention to protect civilians and facilitate aid delivery, as detailed in the UN’s Sudan page.

Officials state that the SAF is preparing to defend El-Obeid, the oil-rich capital of North Kordofan state, as the RSF advances, raising fears of another potential massacre.