Fears of Mass Atrocities Rise as Sudan’s El-Fasher Falls to Paramilitaries
By Majur Chol Khor
Sudan’s humanitarian crisis deepens as paramilitary forces seize the strategic city of El-Fasher, amid reports of mass killings and escalating violence. The capture of the city, a historic center of Darfur, has sparked fears of renewed atrocities reminiscent of the region’s darkest days.
“There are credible reports of mass killings and violence against civilians,” said UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. “The situation is extremely dire, and the risk of further atrocities is very high.”
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group descended from the Janjaweed militias accused of genocide two decades ago, seized El-Fasher after an 18-month siege marked by starvation and relentless bombardment. The city, which has long been a flashpoint in Darfur’s brutal conflict, is now under RSF control following a recent offensive that pushed out the Sudanese military’s last positions.
In nearby North Kordofan, violence continues to claim lives. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent said that five Sudanese Red Crescent volunteers were killed in Bara on Monday, with three others reported missing after RSF forces took control of the town on Saturday.
“The situation is alarming,” stated Red Cross spokesperson Khaled Abu Bakr. “We are witnessing targeted violence and a breakdown of humanitarian access.”
Analysts warn that Sudan is now effectively partitioned along an east-west axis: the RSF controls Darfur and parts of western Sudan, functioning as a de facto parallel government, while the Sudanese army remains entrenched along the Nile and Red Sea in the north, east, and center.
Since the city’s fall, disturbing videos have circulated online, purportedly showing RSF fighters carrying out executions and abusing civilians. An RSF-led coalition announced Tuesday that it would establish a committee to verify the authenticity of these videos, claiming that many are “fabricated” by the army.
The United Nations has condemned the violence, warning of “ethnically motivated violations and atrocities,” while the African Union has called for an end to the “escalating violence” and potential war crimes.
Pro-democracy groups describe the situation as “the worst violence and ethnic cleansing” since the conflict escalated, with the Joint Forces—an alliance of pro-military factions—accusing the RSF of killing at least 2,000 civilians.
The UN reports that more than 26,000 people have fled El-Fasher in just two days, most on foot heading towards Tawila, 70 kilometers west. Meanwhile, approximately 177,000 civilians remain trapped in the city, which has been encircled by a 56-kilometer (35-mile) earthen berm constructed by RSF forces, cutting off food, medicine, and escape routes.
The ongoing war has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced millions, and triggered what is now considered the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis. Both sides stand accused of widespread atrocities, raising fears that Sudan is slipping further into chaos and humanitarian catastrophe.
