The humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Sudan’s western Darfur region has reached horrifying new depths after reports emerged that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least 1,500 civilians during their capture of the city of el-Fasher. The massacre, described by the Sudan Doctors Network as “a true genocide,” marks one of the darkest moments in Sudan’s ongoing civil war.
As evidence from humanitarian monitors, local witnesses, and satellite imagery continues to surface, the world is once again confronted with scenes reminiscent of the atrocities that plagued Darfur in the early 2000s. Regional powers have voiced alarm and condemnation, but the scale and brutality of the RSF’s campaign underscore the extent of Sudan’s descent into chaos and the paralysis of international response.
The RSF, originally derived from the notorious Janjaweed militia, has been engaged in a devastating conflict with Sudan’s army since 2023. Its takeover of el-Fasher — the army’s last major stronghold in Darfur — signifies not only a strategic military victory but also the culmination of a campaign of systematic violence, ethnic targeting, and mass displacement. Satellite evidence, eyewitness accounts, and on-the-ground reports reveal a chilling picture of deliberate extermination and destruction across the city, raising fears that the conflict may expand into new regions as the RSF consolidates its control.
Mass Killings and the Fall of El-Fasher
The city of el-Fasher, long under siege by the RSF, fell to the paramilitary force on Sunday after 17 months of relentless encirclement. In the days that followed, the Sudan Doctors Network reported that at least 1,500 civilians were killed as residents attempted to flee the city. The organization, which has tracked atrocities throughout the civil war, described the violence as a continuation of the genocidal campaign that has plagued Darfur for decades.
It estimated that more than 14,000 civilians had previously been killed in similar attacks through bombing, starvation, and extrajudicial executions. Reports from survivors and aid organizations depict a city overwhelmed by violence. Civilians were targeted indiscriminately as they fled along escape routes, while house-to-house raids resulted in mass executions. The Saudi Hospital in el-Fasher became the scene of one of the conflict’s most appalling massacres.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 460 people were killed inside the hospital, including patients, medical staff, and those seeking refuge. Videos verified by reporters show RSF fighters roaming the hospital’s wards, executing individuals at close range. The Sudan Doctors Network stated that the fighters “cold-bloodedly killed everyone they found inside the Saudi Hospital, including patients, their companions, and anyone else present in the wards.”
The total death toll in el-Fasher remains uncertain, with the Sudanese government estimating that more than 2,000 civilians were killed during the militia’s invasion. The RSF has not issued any statement addressing the allegations. Humanitarian agencies report widespread atrocities, including sexual violence against women and girls, the execution of aid workers, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. As communications collapse and international observers are largely barred from the area, the true scale of the killings may never be fully known.
BREAKING Yale #Humanitarian Labs reports satellite evidence of RSF mass killings in #ElFasher #Sudan tens of thousands dead in 48hrs post-capture. Bodies, blood pools visible from space at hospitals & berms.@SkyNews pic.twitter.com/EODET0Qjkh
— Paul Ethan 🇬🇧🏴 (@I_Paul_Ethan) October 30, 2025
Satellite imagery analyzed by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) corroborates the accounts of mass killings. The images show clusters of objects consistent with human bodies and large patches of discolored ground, believed to be blood-soaked earth. Nathaniel Raymond, the executive director of HRL, described the evidence as unprecedented in scope. “We are seeing objects that measure between 1.5 to 2 metres — the standard length of a human body — lying horizontal, as seen in satellite imagery at high resolution,” he said.
“Those objects were not there 36 to 48 hours ago. They now litter the city.” Raymond’s team also documented the construction of a large earthen wall around el-Fasher, apparently to control movement and prevent civilians from escaping. He warned that the massacre may only be a prelude to similar campaigns in other parts of Darfur and North Kordofan as RSF forces advance eastward.
Regional and International Condemnation
The shocking events in el-Fasher have triggered alarm and condemnation from across the Middle East and North Africa. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and Jordan each issued statements denouncing the atrocities and calling for an immediate cessation of violence. Saudi Arabia expressed “deep concern” over the human rights violations and urged the RSF to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian access. Egypt called for an urgent truce and pledged continued support for Sudan’s territorial integrity, while emphasizing the need for humanitarian corridors.
Turkiye demanded an immediate halt to hostilities and condemned what it described as “atrocities against civilians,” urging both sides to return to dialogue for a peaceful resolution. Qatar, echoing these concerns, described the killings as “horrific violations” and renewed calls for negotiations to end the conflict. Jordan also issued a statement urging restraint and the protection of civilians, warning of the dangers of regional destabilization if the conflict continues unchecked.
Despite this outpouring of condemnation, effective international intervention remains elusive. The United Nations, which has repeatedly called for ceasefires and accountability, has limited access to Darfur. Humanitarian convoys face constant threats, and aid workers have been among the victims of RSF attacks. The African Union and regional mediators have struggled to bring the warring factions to the negotiating table, while geopolitical rivalries — particularly involving Gulf states — have further complicated peace efforts.
The RSF’s rise is deeply rooted in Sudan’s political and military history. Once a proxy militia used by the government during the Darfur genocide in the early 2000s, it evolved into a powerful paramilitary organization with extensive economic interests. The United States has officially recognized that the RSF and its allied militias committed genocide during that earlier conflict, and current reports suggest that the same patterns of ethnically targeted violence have resurfaced.
The fall of el-Fasher gives the RSF near-total control over the Darfur region, raising fears that Sudan could once again face partition. The government’s remaining forces are now largely concentrated in eastern Sudan, while millions of civilians have fled toward Chad, South Sudan, and Egypt. With the RSF controlling critical trade routes and resource-rich areas, the humanitarian and political implications of its dominance are immense.
The Broader Conflict and Geopolitical Stakes
The violence in el-Fasher is the latest episode in a civil war that has devastated Sudan since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the RSF, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (known as Hemeti), and the Sudanese Armed Forces under General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. What began as a power struggle between two generals has evolved into a national catastrophe, killing tens of thousands and displacing over 12 million people — the largest displacement crisis in the world today.
Ahmed Ibrahim, a former member of Sudan’s transitional government, told Al Jazeera that the RSF was originally intended to be integrated into the national army as part of post-Bashir reforms. However, disagreements over timelines, leadership roles, and resource control derailed the process. “Many bets were on the RSF militia to take over the resources of the country and replace the national army,” Ibrahim said. He argued that the conflict is not merely an internal power struggle but part of a broader geopolitical contest to reshape the region.
Sudan’s strategic location along the Red Sea, as well as its abundant mineral resources — including gold and rare earth elements — have made it a focal point of competing international interests. Both regional and global powers see influence in Sudan as a means to secure trade routes, energy corridors, and access to natural wealth. Ibrahim suggested that the current war has been used to “strip Sudan of its national resources,” as livestock and minerals continue to be exported under RSF control, often through informal or illicit channels.
Read : Sudanese Army Recaptured Presidential Palace from RSF After 2 Years of Fighting
The RSF’s consolidation of power in Darfur may further tilt this balance. Control over Darfur allows the paramilitary force to dominate trade routes connecting Sudan to Libya, Chad, and the Central African Republic, as well as the trans-Sahel smuggling networks that fuel the region’s conflicts. Analysts fear that this could transform Sudan into a fragmented state ruled by armed factions with little incentive for peace.
The humanitarian cost, meanwhile, is staggering. The United Nations has warned that more than 25 million Sudanese — half of the population — now need urgent humanitarian assistance. Famine looms over vast areas, and health systems have collapsed. The deliberate targeting of hospitals, such as the Saudi Hospital in el-Fasher, represents not only a war crime but a calculated attempt to destroy the city’s ability to sustain life. The WHO described itself as “appalled and deeply shocked” by reports of executions inside medical facilities, underscoring the systematic nature of the violence.
As the RSF pushes eastward, concerns are mounting that similar massacres could occur in the remaining government-held areas. Humanitarian corridors remain blocked, and international pressure has so far failed to restrain the RSF’s advance. The Sudanese army, weakened by internal divisions and years of corruption, is struggling to mount an effective counteroffensive. Meanwhile, civilians continue to bear the brunt of a conflict driven by political ambition, economic exploitation, and ethnic hatred.
The events in el-Fasher have reignited grim memories of the early 2000s genocide in Darfur, when hundreds of thousands were killed and millions displaced. Two decades later, the perpetrators’ successors are repeating history on an even larger scale, while the world once again watches with outrage but limited action. The RSF’s latest campaign has not only deepened Sudan’s humanitarian catastrophe but also underscored the failure of the international community to prevent mass atrocities, despite clear warning signs.
Unless decisive measures are taken — including sanctions, humanitarian corridors, and renewed diplomatic engagement — Sudan risks descending into a prolonged state of anarchy, with implications stretching far beyond its borders. The fall of el-Fasher marks not merely the loss of a city, but a profound moral and humanitarian failure that will define the course of the region for years to come.