NextFin news, Amnesty International has formally accused the Sudanese paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing war crimes in the Darfur town of El-Fasher. The accusations were publicly released on November 25, 2025, following interviews with 28 survivors who described atrocities ranging from the summary execution of unarmed men to the rape of women and girls. These incidents occurred after the RSF seized control of El-Fasher at the end of October 2025, marking the last major city in Darfur under government control to fall to the paramilitary group.
The RSF has been engaged in an intense conflict with Sudan's regular army since April 2023, creating widespread chaos and suffering in the region. Amnesty International’s Secretary-General, Agnès Callamard, emphasized that the violence against civilians in El-Fasher constitutes clear violations of international law and represents war crimes. The report specifically called attention to the continuing support the RSF receives from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which Amnesty alleges has facilitated these atrocities through the provision of weaponry, manpower, and logistical aid, despite UAE's public denials.
Survivors have recounted harrowing experiences of abduction, torture, and sexual violence, including cases where RSF fighters raped women and girls during escape attempts from the city. The devastating impact was tragically exemplified by a mother and her 14-year-old daughter who both suffered rape; the daughter subsequently fell severely ill and died in a refugee clinic in Tawila, hundreds of kilometers away. Eye witnesses also describe RSF fighters killing civilians indiscriminately, reportedly enjoying the violence as they carried out executions.
The armed confrontations have also been characterized by the encirclement of El-Fasher through man-made barriers such as sand walls, severely restricting civilian movement and humanitarian access. Satellite imagery reviewed by Yale University researchers corroborates evidence of mass graves and potential mass killings in the city, revealing a systematic pattern of violence against noncombatants.
This humanitarian crisis extends far beyond El-Fasher. United Nations data estimate that over 40,000 people have died since the onset of conflict in Sudan, with actual casualty numbers likely much higher. The conflict has displaced more than 14 million people internally and externally, with famine conditions declared in several regions and half of Sudan’s population facing food insecurity. The UN has described this widespread violence and deprivation as one of the worst ongoing humanitarian crises globally.
Efforts at mediation have so far failed to halt hostilities. The Sudanese government under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has rejected a US-backed truce proposal, while the RSF unexpectedly declared a unilateral three-month ceasefire, citing diplomatic efforts led by the new U.S. President Donald Trump and the Quad mediators comprising the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE. Nonetheless, tensions between these factions remain high, compounded by accusations of disruptive conduct by both sides at international negotiation tables.
The deep involvement of the UAE, driven in part by strategic and resource interests such as gold exchanges through Chad, adds a geopolitical dimension to the conflict, complicating resolution efforts and potentially encouraging sustained proxy conflict dynamics. Amnesty International has called for an urgent cessation of international support to the RSF and stronger enforcement of accountability through international legal mechanisms.
Analytically, the war crimes in El-Fasher highlight the peril of paramilitary groups operating with impunity, especially when externally fueled by sophisticated support networks. The scale and brutality of the crimes are symptomatic of Sudan’s fragmented military command and the broader governance vacuum in the Darfur region. The strategic encirclement and targeting of civilians also signify a deliberate tactic to intimidate and control local populations, which undermines prospects for lasting peace and regional stability.
Economically and socially, the conflict further cripples an already fragile Sudanese infrastructure, deepening food insecurity, disrupting markets, and increasing international humanitarian burdens. The role of African regional organizations and the UN remains critical, but the failure to prevent these atrocities reveals significant operational and political limitations in peacekeeping and conflict resolution mandates globally.
Forward-looking, the persistence of RSF control in Darfur without meaningful peace dividends portends prolonged instability, with potential spillover effects into neighboring states through refugee flows, illicit trafficking, and cross-border insurgencies. The international community, led by the United States under President Donald Trump’s administration and the UN Security Council, faces the challenge of applying coordinated pressure on all parties to enforce ceasefire agreements, contribute to humanitarian access, and prosecute perpetrators of war crimes.
This situation serves as a stark reminder of the complexities in conflict zones where local grievances intersect with international geopolitical interests, highlighting the urgent need for nuanced strategies that combine diplomatic engagement, humanitarian intervention, and legal accountability to protect vulnerable populations and restore order in Sudan’s Darfur region.
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