Sudan's RSF Committed Crimes Against Humanity in el-Fasher — Amnesty

Amnesty International has released a damning new report accusing Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing crimes against humanity in el-Fasher, the last major city in the Darfur region not fully under RSF control. The report adds to a growing body of evidence about atrocities in a city that the United Nations has said bears the hallmarks of genocide.

Amnesty's Findings

The Amnesty report documents what the human rights organization describes as a systematic campaign of violence against civilians in and around el-Fasher. This reportedly includes unlawful killings, sexual violence used as a weapon of war, and deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure including hospitals and markets. Amnesty states that these acts, carried out in a widespread and systematic manner, constitute crimes against humanity under international law.

The RSF, a paramilitary force that emerged from the Janjaweed militias notorious for atrocities during the earlier Darfur conflict, has been fighting Sudan's regular army — the Sudanese Armed Forces — since a brutal civil war broke out in April 2023. El-Fasher has become a focal point of that conflict as the RSF sought to consolidate control over the entire Darfur region.

UN Warnings

The United Nations had previously warned that the siege and assault on el-Fasher bore the hallmarks of genocide, citing the targeting of particular ethnic communities in the Darfur region — primarily those identified as non-Arab. UN officials have repeatedly called for unfettered humanitarian access to the city, where conditions have been described as catastrophic, with civilians facing shortages of food, water, and medical supplies amid constant bombardment.

The Security Council has discussed the Sudan crisis multiple times, but has been unable to agree on meaningful action, with diplomatic divisions stalling stronger responses. Humanitarian organizations operating in Sudan have faced severe access restrictions from both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces.

International Response

The Amnesty report is expected to increase pressure on the international community to act more decisively to protect civilians in el-Fasher. However, with both parties to the conflict engaged in active fighting and international diplomatic efforts stalled, prospects for an immediate improvement in the humanitarian situation remain bleak. Human rights groups have called on the International Criminal Court to investigate RSF commanders for potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.