Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces take control of El-Fasher, sparking mass killings, displacement, and a growing humanitarian crisis in Darfur.
Thousands of civilians are feared dead as Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, after an 18-month siege that trapped over 1.2 million people in the city. Humanitarian groups warn of mass atrocities, widespread starvation, and targeted attacks on minority communities as the RSF consolidates control over the region.
El-Fasher’s fall on Sunday marked the capture of the last major Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) stronghold in Darfur. According to the Sudan Doctors Network, at least 1,500 people have been killed, while the SAF reports over 2,000 deaths. Videos verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad unit show RSF fighters executing civilians, torturing detainees, and attacking hospitals, echoing past patterns of violence in Darfur.
A Siege Turned Massacre
The RSF’s months-long siege blocked food and medical supplies, forcing civilians to survive on animal feed. Satellite imagery analyzed by Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab revealed clusters and discoloration consistent with mass killings, supporting reports from local monitors of summary executions and ethnically targeted violence.
In just two days, over 26,000 people fled El-Fasher, most on foot toward Tawila, 70 km to the west. The International Organization for Migration estimates 177,000 civilians remain trapped, hiding from RSF patrols or attempting dangerous desert crossings.
Regional Implications
El-Fasher and nearby El-Obeid have become critical battlegrounds. With El-Fasher now under RSF control, Darfur is effectively divided, leaving the SAF in the east and the RSF in the west.
El-Obeid, a strategic oil-rich city in North Kordofan, lies just east of RSF-controlled Bara, where the paramilitary group has reportedly attacked civilians and aid workers. At least five Red Cross volunteers were killed in Bara, with three more missing. Analysts warn that RSF advances could cut off SAF’s buffer to Khartoum, escalating the conflict further.
Who Are the RSF?
The RSF originated from the Janjaweed militias, notorious for atrocities during the 2003 Darfur war, which left 100,000–300,000 dead and 2.5 million displaced. Formalized in 2013, the RSF has about 100,000 members and now operates as an independent paramilitary force under leader Mohammed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo.
Tensions with SAF escalated over plans to integrate RSF units into the army, sparking full-scale conflict in April 2023. Since then, both sides have been accused of committing atrocities, with the US declaring RSF actions in Darfur as genocide.
Global Response and Unmet Warnings
The UN, US, and EU have condemned killings and called for civilian protection, but experts argue the international community failed to prevent the RSF takeover. Diplomats’ focus on ceasefire talks allowed RSF impunity, enabling the group to commit atrocities openly.
Foreign Minister Hussein Al-Amin blamed the global community for inaction, while SAF leadership vowed to avenge the victims. Meanwhile, RSF leader Hemedti claims civilians will be protected and perpetrators held accountable — statements widely met with skepticism.
What’s at Stake
The humanitarian crisis in Darfur continues to deepen. Thousands of civilians, particularly from sedentary non-Arab tribes, face execution, sexual violence, and forced displacement. Analysts warn similar massacres are likely in any territory RSF captures. Beyond the human toll, control of Darfur provides access to gold reserves and key border routes, making the region strategically and economically significant.
Efforts to end the war through US, Saudi, Egyptian, and UAE-led peace talks have repeatedly stalled. The recent RSF seizure of El-Fasher further complicates any prospects for a humanitarian truce or political resolution.
El-Fasher’s fall is a stark reminder of the human cost of Sudan’s civil war. Share this story or comment below to raise awareness and ensure global attention stays on Darfur’s ongoing crisis.