Survivors Detail Atrocities Following RSF Capture of El-Fasher

In October 2025, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured El-Fasher, the last army stronghold in Sudan's Darfur region, following an 18-month siege. Survivors have reported severe human rights abuses during and after the takeover.

Abdulqadir Abdullah Ali, a 62-year-old diabetic, recounted the chaos: "The morning the RSF came there were bullets, many bullets, and explosives going off." He described civilians fleeing in all directions amid the violence.

Mohammed Abbaker Adam, a local official, described the perilous journey to safety: "The road here was full of death. They shot some people directly in front of us and then carried them and threw them far away." He also noted the presence of unburied bodies along the route.

Reports of sexual violence have emerged, with survivors stating that RSF fighters took women away from groups, leading to assaults. One 19-year-old woman recounted her fear at checkpoints, noting that fighters took a girl from her group, leaving the others anxious about their safety.

The RSF has denied allegations of systematic abuses. Dr. Ibrahim Mukhayer, an adviser to RSF leader Gen Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, stated: "The specific allegations raised—looting, killings, sexual violence, or mistreatment of civilians—do not reflect our directives." He emphasized that any RSF member proven responsible for wrongdoing would be held accountable.

The United States has determined that the RSF committed genocide in Darfur earlier this year. Additionally, Sudanese armed forces and allied militias have faced accusations of targeting civilians suspected of supporting the RSF and indiscriminately shelling residential areas.

The fall of El-Fasher has intensified international condemnation and drawn attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Sudan.