A recent investigation by UN-backed human rights experts has revealed alarming findings regarding the actions of Sudanese paramilitary forces in Darfur. The experts identified a “campaign of destruction” carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against non-Arab communities in and around El Fasher, with indications of genocidal behavior.
During an 18-month siege, the RSF imposed harsh conditions aimed at the physical annihilation of non-Arab groups, particularly the Zaghawa and Fur communities. The takeover of El Fasher resulted in the deaths of several thousand civilians, with only 40% of the city’s population managing to escape the violence, leaving thousands wounded and many unaccounted for.
The conflict in Sudan, which erupted in mid-April 2023, has claimed over 40,000 lives according to UN estimates, though aid organizations suggest the actual toll could be much higher. The RSF’s offensive in El Fasher in October involved mass killings, sexual violence, torture, and abductions for ransom, as reported by the UN Human Rights Office.
The investigation highlighted three key criteria for genocide met by the RSF’s actions, including ethnically targeted killings, sexual violence, and deliberate efforts to destroy non-Arab communities. The fact-finding team emphasized that these were not isolated incidents but part of a systematic and planned operation resembling genocide.
The report documented chilling accounts of atrocities, such as the selective targeting of women and girls from specific ethnic groups, while sparing those perceived as Arab. The team stressed the urgent need for accountability and protection of civilians, as the conflict expands to other regions in Sudan.
International condemnation and calls for action have escalated, with the UN Security Council addressing the preventable tragedy in El Fasher and urging measures to avert further atrocities in other conflict zones. The RSF’s brutal tactics have drawn widespread condemnation, with allegations of genocide and war crimes dating back to the early 2000s.