Sudanese Paramilitaries Accused of Mass Killings in El Fasher After City's Fall

Sudan's government and international organizations are reporting horrific atrocities in El Fasher, North Darfur, following the recent seizure of the city by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group. The Sudanese government has accused the RSF of killing at least 2,000 people in the wake of their takeover, according to Anadolu Ajansı.

pbs.org reported, The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed profound alarm over reports indicating that 460 patients and their companions were reportedly slaughtered at the Saudi Maternity Hospital in El Fasher on October 28, 2025. This incident highlights the extreme brutality unfolding in the city, as confirmed by the Sudan Doctors Network.

Satellite imagery analyzed by the Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) has corroborated evidence consistent with mass killings around the Saudi Hospital and at a former Children's Hospital, which served as an RSF detention center. These findings suggest systematic executions and widespread violence against civilians.

aa.com.tr noted, The fall of El Fasher, the last major stronghold of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in Darfur, has triggered a massive displacement crisis, with tens of thousands fleeing the city. Many are seeking refuge in the already overwhelmed town of Tawila, approximately 60 kilometers west, escaping what aid workers describe as ethnically and politically motivated violence.

Human Rights Watch reported that videos circulating on social media, analyzed and verified by the organization, depict RSF fighters celebrating over numerous dead bodies, executing apparent civilians, and abusing injured individuals. Federico Borello, interim executive director at Human Rights Watch, stated that these images bear the hallmarks of the RSF's record of mass atrocities.

who.int reported, The United Nations Human Rights Office also received multiple alarming reports of summary executions and other serious violations by the RSF after they gained control of large parts of El Fasher, as stated on October 27, 2025. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned of a mounting risk of "large-scale, ethnically motivated violations and atrocities".

The international community, including the UN Security Council, has condemned the mass killings and called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. However, critics like Amnesty International's Tigere Chagutah argue that the world has failed to act decisively to prevent further civilian suffering despite repeated warnings.

• Background to the Conflict: The ongoing civil war in Sudan began on April 15, 2023, stemming from a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti. The RSF originated from the notorious Janjaweed militias, established by the government in 2013 to combat rebel groups in Darfur, and has a long history of alleged human rights abuses.

• Strategic Importance of El Fasher: El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, had been under an 18-month siege by the RSF before its fall around October 26-27, 2025. It was the last major city in Darfur not under RSF control, making its capture a significant strategic victory for the paramilitary group and raising fears of a complete RSF dominance over the Darfur region.

• Hospital Attack Details: The Saudi Maternity Hospital, which was the last partially functional hospital in El Fasher, was reportedly attacked on October 28, 2025, for the fourth time in a month. The World Health Organization confirmed reports of over 460 patients and companions being killed, and the Sudan Doctors Network stated that RSF fighters "cold-bloodedly killed everyone they found inside".

• Nature of Atrocities and Ethnic Cleansing: Reports from multiple sources, including The Guardian and Human Rights Watch, indicate widespread ethnically motivated mass killings, summary executions, and "house-to-house clearance operations" targeting non-Arab communities like the Fur, Zaghawa, and Berti. The Sudan Doctors' Union also reported that civilians were burned alive and forced to dig their own graves.

• Humanitarian Catastrophe and Displacement: The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that over 36,000 people fled El Fasher between October 26 and 29, 2025. These newly displaced individuals are overwhelming the already strained resources in Tawila, which hosts hundreds of thousands of displaced people. UNICEF highlighted that El Fasher had been under siege for over sixteen months, trapping 130,000 children without access to food, water, or healthcare.

• International Response and Calls for Accountability: The UN Security Council held an emergency session, condemning the mass killings and the external supply of arms to the RSF. US Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, denounced the RSF attacks and called for the group to be designated as a foreign terrorist organization. There are also calls for the United Arab Emirates, an alleged backer of the RSF, to cease its support.

• Previous Atrocities and Warnings: Human Rights Watch noted the RSF's track record of mass atrocities, including a 2023 attack on Geneina, another Darfur city, where hundreds were killed. Experts had warned that an RSF takeover of El Fasher would likely result in a repeat of such massacres, with Amnesty International stating that the RSF has a history of ethnically targeted attacks and sexual violence.