Amnesty International has accused the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing during its campaign to capture El Fasher, the last stronghold of the Sudan armed forces in Darfur. The human rights organization released a report on Wednesday detailing widespread and systematic attacks against civilians.
RSF Accused of Atrocities Including Enslavement and Sexual Violence
According to the report, the RSF committed murder, torture, rape, enslavement, and sexual slavery as part of a widespread and systematic attack against civilians, amounting to crimes against humanity. Amnesty also alleged that the RSF deliberately targeted children during attacks in the city in North Darfur state.
In October, after an 18-month siege, the RSF captured El Fasher, marking a brutal takeover that included widespread massacres, with tens of thousands of people killed. An independent UN fact-finding mission in February stated that the RSF's seizure of El Fasher showed "hallmarks of genocide" against non-Arab communities.
Amnesty's Investigation and Findings
For the report, Amnesty interviewed 247 people, including 208 survivors of the fighting in El Fasher and surrounding areas. The organization also analyzed documentary and video material, as well as satellite imagery from North Darfur. Amnesty concluded that the RSF committed war crimes between mid-2024 and late 2025, often targeting non-Arab civilians and using derogatory and dehumanizing language during attacks. The RSF committed the crime against humanity of persecution on the basis of ethnicity, according to the report.
The destruction of towns and villages between December 2024 and March 2025, including Abu Zerega, which is populated by non-Arab ethnic groups, was consistent with ethnic cleansing. The abuses have orphaned countless children and displaced hundreds of thousands, exposing them to death and injury during attacks or while fleeing.
International Response and Commanders Named
Agnès Callamard, secretary general of Amnesty International, said: "The war in Sudan is a war on civilians. The world was warned of the horrors that civilians in El Fasher confronted as the RSF laid siege to the city. It is a stain on the conscience of humanity."
The report named three RSF commanders responsible for serious violations of international law: Maj Gen Gedo Hamdan Ahmed Mohamed (also known as "Abu Shok"), Lt Col Abbas Khater Bakhit, and commander Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris (also known as "Abu Lulu").
The Sudanese civil war began in April 2023 when a power struggle between the Sudan armed forces led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the RSF headed by Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo erupted into violence in Khartoum. The fighting has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. Amnesty called for an immediate ceasefire and the urgent deployment of an international force to protect civilians. Callamard added: "The international community must move beyond statements of concern and take concrete steps to protect civilians, breaking the cycle of impunity."
