News Desk:
More than 2,000 people have been brutally killed in Sudan’s El-Fasher city after the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control following days of intense fighting. Over 60,000 residents have fled the city to escape the ongoing violence.
In Sudan’s North Darfur capital, El-Fasher, hundreds of bodies lie scattered on the streets after days of brutal violence. There is no one left to bury the dead. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control of the city last week, killing at least 1,500 people. Nearly 460 of them were reportedly killed inside a single hospital.
Witnesses describe scenes of unspeakable horror, saying that unarmed civilians – including women and children – were not only shot but also crushed under vehicles and burned alive. Thousands remain missing as reports of mass killings continue to emerge.
According to the United Nations, El-Fasher has turned into a city of genocide and mass sexual violence. The fate of over 200,000 residents remains uncertain, while more than 150,000 people are believed to be trapped under RSF control. The UN has strongly condemned the escalating violence, warning that “no one in El-Fasher is safe.”
Sudan has been in turmoil since 2019, when long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir was ousted in a military coup. The transitional government that followed was overthrown by the army in 2021. In 2023, a fierce power struggle erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, plunging the country into a prolonged civil war.
For the past 18 months, Sudan has witnessed relentless violence – including civilian massacres, widespread sexual assaults, and the burning of homes and shelters – according to UN reports.
Last Sunday, the RSF launched an attack on a major military base in El-Fasher, located in the Darfur region, eventually seizing full control of the city. The paramilitary group has since been accused of carrying out indiscriminate killings. Hospitals, schools, and even refugee camps have not been spared. More than 450 people were reportedly killed in a single hospital.
Satellite images show streets stained with blood and littered with bodies. In videos verified by observers, RSF fighters can be seen shooting unarmed civilians at close range.
Residents who managed to escape describe the city as “completely destroyed.” One survivor said, “As we walked through El-Fasher, we saw bodies everywhere. Eight people beside me were killed instantly.” Another recounted, “A friend begged the RSF not to kill his companions, but they shot him and others anyway. They appeared suddenly, firing into the air and shouting for everyone to stop. They were wearing RSF uniforms.”
The UN Security Council stated that over 150,000 people remain captive under RSF control and that there are no safe escape routes for civilians.
Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, said, “Despite commitments to protect civilians, the reality is that no one in El-Fasher is safe. There are also alarming reports of mass atrocities committed by the RSF in Barah, North Kordofan, following the capture of the city.”
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that at least 25 women were gang-raped by RSF fighters at a shelter near El-Fasher University, calling it a grave violation of human rights. “Such crimes must be investigated independently, swiftly, and transparently,” he said. “Those responsible must be held accountable, and justice and compensation must be ensured for the victims and their families.”
Since the start of the civil war, more than 150,000 people have been killed in Sudan, and nearly 12 million have been displaced, making it one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.
