Accusations Against the RSF Over Horrific Massacres in El Fasher

Sudan Events – Agencies

Regional and international governments, UN bodies, and local reports have accused Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing horrific massacres and acts of mass killing amounting to genocide in the city of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State in western Sudan, which the RSF seized after more than a year and a half of siege.

According to reports from El Fasher, the RSF launched a campaign of terror in the city, committing unspeakable atrocities—including acts tantamount to genocide—against Sudanese ethnic groups. The Joint Force, allied with the Sudanese army, stated on Tuesday that the RSF had “executed more than 2,000 unarmed civilians” since Sunday in El Fasher, following alarming reports of widespread violations supported by satellite imagery.

El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, has in recent months become the flashpoint of the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, which began in April 2023. In a statement, the Joint Force said the RSF “committed heinous crimes against innocent civilians in El Fasher, where more than 2,000 unarmed men, women, and children—many of them elderly—were executed and killed on October 26 and 27.”

On Tuesday, the Sudanese army urged human rights organizations to document RSF crimes in El Fasher, hours after its commander, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, announced the withdrawal of his troops from the city. In a statement posted on Facebook, the Sudanese Armed Forces called on “media outlets and human rights organizations to document the crimes of the (Dagalo terrorist militia) in El Fasher and to amplify the voices of the victims to shed light on the atrocities being committed against innocent civilians.” The statement added: “This militia will not enjoy what it has seized, for every inch of our homeland has men ready to defend it to the last breath. The Sudanese Armed Forces remain steadfast in their national doctrine and will never compromise in defending the country’s sovereignty and unity.”

Asharq Al-Awsat reviewed “disturbing” video footage circulating widely on social media showing RSF members executing civilians and soldiers by firing squad in various parts of El Fasher.

International and UN Concern

The European Union expressed its “deep concern” over the escalating violations in El Fasher, calling on all parties to de-escalate. European Commission spokesperson Anwar Al-Announi said in a press briefing on Tuesday: “We are closely monitoring the situation with our partners and ensuring that all violations of international humanitarian law and human rights are properly documented.”

He noted that residents of El Fasher have endured more than 18 months of siege imposed by the RSF, leading to severe shortages of food, water, and medical care, in addition to relentless shelling that has worsened the suffering of hundreds of thousands of trapped civilians. “There must be no impunity,” he stressed.

In the United States, Senator Jim Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for the designation of the RSF as a Foreign Terrorist Organization following the events in El Fasher. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Risch said: “The atrocities in El Fasher were not accidental—they were part of the RSF’s plan from the beginning. These forces have waged a campaign of terror and committed unspeakable atrocities, including acts of genocide, against the Sudanese people. The RSF should be recognized for what it truly is: a Foreign Terrorist Organization, and it must be officially designated as such.” He concluded: “The United States cannot be safer, more stable, or more prosperous while these forces continue slaughtering thousands.”

The United Nations on Monday warned of a “growing risk of ethnically motivated violations and atrocities,” echoing alerts from several independent monitors. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights warned that “given the history in North Darfur, the risk of sexual violence—particularly against women and girls—remains extremely high,” referring to atrocities committed in the early 2000s by the Janjaweed militia, from which the RSF later emerged.

For its part, the UNICEF office for the Middle East and North Africa warned on Tuesday that the humanitarian situation across Darfur was deteriorating rapidly, with soaring rates of malnutrition and disease. UNICEF called for an immediate end to the violence and for humanitarian workers to be granted safe and unhindered access to those affected.

Source: Asharq Al-Awsat