Agencies, February 14 (Darfur24)
A new report by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights says fighters from the Rapid Support Forces carried out widespread abuses during their offensive to seize control of El Fasher last October, describing the violence as potentially amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The rights office said interviews with more than 140 victims and witnesses, conducted in Sudan’s Northern State and eastern Chad in late 2025, documented over 6,000 deaths in the first three days of the assault on the capital of North Darfur following an 18-month siege. According to the report, at least 4,400 people were killed inside the city during that period, while more than 1,600 others died along escape routes as civilians attempted to flee. Investigators believe the true death toll during the week-long attack is significantly higher.
Published Friday, the report concludes that RSF forces and allied Arab militias carried out a pattern of attacks that included mass killings, summary executions, sexual violence, kidnappings for ransom, torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, looting, and the recruitment and use of children in hostilities. Many incidents, the office said, appeared to target civilians based on ethnicity or perceived affiliations deliberately.
Impunity concerns
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the scale and intent of the violations demonstrate how unchecked abuses are driving continued cycles of violence.
He called for credible and impartial investigations to establish criminal responsibility, including among senior leaders, and urged that accountability be pursued through all available legal mechanisms.
The report states there are reasonable grounds to believe that acts committed during the offensive include murder, intentional attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, indiscriminate bombardment, starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, attacks on medical and humanitarian personnel, sexual violence including rape, torture, looting, and the involvement of children in combat.
Call to prevent recurrence
Türk said the severity of the assault compounded months of suffering endured by El Fasher residents during siege conditions and repeated shelling. He added that survivor testimonies gathered during his recent visit to Sudan described sexual violence being used systematically during the conflict.
The High Commissioner urged all parties to halt serious violations committed by forces under their command and called on countries with influence to act urgently to prevent a repeat of the abuses documented in El Fasher.
He also appealed for stronger international support for mediation efforts aimed at ending hostilities and opening a pathway toward inclusive civilian governance.