Reports of mass killings and ethnic violence are emerging from El-Fasher, the last major city in Sudan’s Darfur region previously held by the national army, after its capture by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The Yale University Humanitarian Research Lab, says newly analyzed satellite images and open-source footage indicate that RSF fighters have been carrying out what appear to be “door-to-door clearance operations” targeting non-Arab ethnic groups, including the Fur, Zaghawa, and Berti communities.
Yale’s report described the violence as part of a “systematic and intentional process of ethnic cleansing.” Graphic videos shared by Sudanese activists, though yet to be independently verified, show bodies of unarmed civilians lying in the streets alongside charred vehicles. One clip reportedly captures an RSF fighter known for previous executions shooting captives at point-blank range.
Local sources allied with the Sudanese army claim that more than 2,000 civilians have been executed in recent days, as El-Fasher fell completely under RSF control. “It’s a bloodbath,” said one activist in a phone call to Reuters. “Entire families have disappeared overnight.” Sudan’s military chief, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, confirmed the army’s withdrawal from El- Fasher late Monday, saying it was a decision made to “protect remaining civilians and prevent total destruction.” His statement came shortly after RSF forces declared victory in the region.
The fall of El-Fasher marks a devastating setback for Sudan’s army — and a deepening humanitarian crisis. The United Nations calls it the world’s worst displacement emergency in decades, with over 12 million Sudanese uprooted since fighting erupted in April 2023. Nearly four million, mostly women and children, have fled to neighboring countries.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday condemned the developments as a “terrible escalation in an already catastrophic war,” urging immediate access for humanitarian aid. As the world watches, Darfur once again faces the haunting specter of genocide, and the people of El-Fasher are paying the ultimate price
