A group of UN-backed human rights experts revealed on Thursday that Sudanese paramilitary forces engaged in a destructive campaign against non-Arab communities near Darfur, displaying signs of genocide. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), in conflict with the Sudanese military, perpetrated mass killings and other atrocities in El Fasher, targeting non-Arab groups like the Zaghawa and Fur communities. Thousands of civilians were reported killed during the RSF’s takeover of El Fasher, with only a minority managing to escape the onslaught, leaving the fate of many unknown.
The conflict in Sudan escalated in mid-April 2023 when tensions between military and paramilitary factions erupted in Khartoum and spread to regions like Darfur. The war has resulted in over 40,000 deaths according to UN estimates, though aid organizations suggest the actual toll could be significantly higher.
The RSF’s seizure of El Fasher in October led to widespread atrocities, including mass killings, sexual violence, torture, and abductions for ransom as reported by the UN Human Rights Office. The RSF allegedly killed over 6,000 people in a span of two days, with an additional 300 killed in the Abu Shouk displacement camp prior to the city’s fall.
The fact-finding team highlighted three key criteria for genocide met by the RSF’s actions: ethnically targeted killings, sexual violence, and deliberate efforts to physically destroy non-Arab communities. The team emphasized the organized nature of the RSF’s operation and the deliberate targeting of vulnerable populations like the Zaghawa.
Calls for accountability and protection of civilians have been raised by the fact-finding team amidst concerns of the conflict spreading to other regions. The RSF’s roots in the infamous Janjaweed militias, responsible for heinous acts in Darfur in the early 2000s, have drawn international condemnation. Sudan’s former leader, Omar al-Bashir, remains wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes including genocide committed during that period.