A new report by the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan concludes that mass killings and abuses committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during the capture of al-Fashir display defining characteristics of genocide. Investigators say the RSF seized the city in late October after an 18-month siege, ending its status as the last major stronghold of the Sudanese Armed Forces in Darfur. Over three days, thousands were reportedly killed or raped while displacement camps and civilian infrastructure were attacked.
Evidence of Targeted Violence
The report states that non-Arab communities particularly the Zaghawa and Fur were deliberately targeted through coordinated killings, sexual violence, torture, and the destruction of living conditions necessary for survival. Survivors described RSF fighters issuing threats to “clean” the city and identifying victims by ethnicity before executing them. Investigators documented drone and heavy-weapon attacks on displacement camps, looting, beatings, and widespread sexual violence against women and girls aged 7 to 70. Mission chair Mohamad Chande Othman said the scale and coordination of the operation indicate the crimes were planned rather than isolated wartime abuses.
Humanitarian Impact
Before the takeover, al-Fashir’s population included large numbers of Zaghawa residents, while surrounding displacement camps housed Fur, Masalit, Berti, and Tama communities. Witnesses described bodies lining roads, point-blank executions, and systematic sexual violence used as a weapon of terror. The destruction of communal kitchens, medical facilities, and aid access points deepened the humanitarian crisis, leaving survivors without food, shelter, or healthcare.
Responses and Denials
The report was shared with Sudan’s government, but no response was received, and the RSF did not engage with investigators. The paramilitary force has previously denied allegations of abuses, claiming accusations are fabricated by adversaries while making counter-claims against rival forces.
Why It Matters
If formally recognized, genocide findings could intensify international pressure for accountability, including possible prosecutions, sanctions, and expanded humanitarian intervention. The findings will inform deliberations at the United Nations Human Rights Council and may shape calls for justice mechanisms, while aid agencies warn that without urgent protection and access, displaced populations in Darfur face worsening famine, disease, and continued violence.
With information from Reuters.
