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Sudan's el-Fasher killings spark genocide warnings as RSF admits violations
Emerging evidence of systematic executions in el-Fasher has led human rights groups to label Sudan's civil war a "continuation of the Darfur genocide," as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) acknowledged "violations" after an 18-month siege of the Darfur city. The conflict, pitting the RSF against Sudan's military, has revived patterns of ethnic violence reminiscent of the early 2000s, when Arab Janjaweed militias-precursors to the RSF-massacred hundreds of thousands of non-Arab Darfuris.
Gruesome evidence surfaces
RSF fighters have circulated videos allegedly depicting summary executions of civilians-primarily men-and former combatants, alongside footage of troops taunting victims. Survivors describe widespread terror: one man fleeing to Tawila told the BBC of indiscriminate shootings and looting, while a woman, Ikram Abdelhameed, told Reuters that RSF soldiers separated and executed male civilians at an earthen barrier outside el-Fasher.
Satellite imagery analyzed by Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab reveals clusters of bodies and reddish soil patches-potential bloodstains-near suspected massacre sites. Researchers concluded the RSF appears to be conducting "systematic ethnic cleansing" of indigenous non-Arab communities through displacement and executions.
Ethnic targeting escalates
The battle for el-Fasher carries a stark ethnic dimension. Local Zaghawa militias, allied with Sudan's army, have resisted the RSF, which in turn views Zaghawa civilians as legitimate targets. A Doctors Without Borders (MSF) investigation earlier this year documented similar abuses after the RSF seized the Zamzam displaced persons camp near el-Fasher. Meanwhile, the army stands accused of retaliatory ethnic attacks in recaptured areas like Sennar, Gezira, and North Kordofan.
"Whether you're a civilian, wherever you are, it is not safe right now-even in Khartoum. Those in power can falsely imprison, disappear, or kill anyone at will."
Emi Mahmoud, strategic director, IDP Humanitarian Network
RSF leader pledges accountability amid skepticism
RSF commander Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) admitted to "violations" in el-Fasher in a Wednesday video, blaming the war as "forced upon us" and vowing investigations. The RSF later released footage purporting to show the arrest of a fighter linked to executions. Yet observers note past unfulfilled promises-including after the 2023 el-Geneina massacre, where up to 15,000 Massalit ethnic group members were killed, per UN estimates.
Analysts question the RSF's control over its ranks, a mix of militias, Arab allies, and foreign mercenaries. "It's unrealistic to expect Hemedti's orders to curb abuses when his forces operate with impunity," said aid coordinator Emi Mahmoud.
Calls for international intervention grow urgent
Activists warn el-Fasher's atrocities were foreseeable, citing repeated alerts to the UN, US, UK, and France. Nathaniel Raymond of Yale's lab criticized inaction: "We presented options for military protection last summer. This requires action, not press conferences."
Pressure mounts on the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accused of arming the RSF despite denials. Comparisons to the 1995 Srebrenica massacre underscore demands for intervention. "This is Sudan's Srebrenica moment," Mahmoud said.
"The RSF follows a clear pattern: encircle, starve, then overwhelm with arson, rape, and massacre. This is genocide by design."
Kate Ferguson, co-founder, Protection Approaches
