A United Nations investigation has unveiled harrowing details of atrocities committed by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which the report categorizes as acts of genocide. The findings, released on Wednesday, highlight mass killings, widespread abductions of women and girls, and brutal acts of gang rape during last year’s siege and capture of a city.
The RSF, engaged in a civil conflict against the Sudanese army, executed these crimes in El-Fasher, North Darfur, after taking control following a protracted blockade, as concluded by the U.N. Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan.
Survivors recounted horrific incidents of sexual violence occurring in rooms where the corpses of civilians, including family members, lay nearby.
The investigation determined that the RSF, alongside its allies, committed war crimes by using starvation as a weapon during the siege. This involved obstructing aid deliveries and attacking food production systems.
Despite over three years of civil conflict, the RSF has consistently denied these abuses, describing them as fabrications by adversaries, while issuing counterclaims.
Amid rising concerns, the U.N. human rights chief issued a stark warning on Friday regarding potential catastrophes unfolding around al-Obeid, North Kordofan’s capital. Reports have documented distressing patterns of summary executions, abductions, and sexual violence in the region.
In response, U.N. human rights council members condemned the ongoing violence on Monday, launching an urgent inquiry into the reported abuses.
Countries, including Britain, have sounded alarms over potential large-scale atrocities as RSF forces gather around al-Obeid, home to approximately half a million residents, including over 83,000 internally displaced individuals.
The fact-finding mission’s previous February report had already highlighted mass killings of non-Arab communities in El-Fasher, reflecting genocidal attributes.
The latest findings provide further evidence of the RSF’s systematic conduct, including extensive killings, mass rapes, and orchestrated starvation, as part of a deliberate policy.
“The documented patterns in El-Fasher, such as encirclement, attacks on civilian infrastructure, and humanitarian access restrictions, underscore a stark warning,” stated Mohamed Chande Othman, the mission’s chair.
He emphasized, “The international community must learn from these warnings and act decisively to prevent further disasters.”
