The United Nations issued a grave warning on Monday that the strategic Sudanese city of al-Fashir is facing a catastrophic surge in violence, with a high risk of ethnically motivated atrocities, after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed full control.
The fall of al-Fashir, the last major city in the vast western Darfur region not held by the RSF, marks a potential turning point in Sudan’s brutal two-year civil war. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk described the situation as “extremely precarious,” stating, “The risk of further large-scale, ethnically-motivated violations and atrocities… is mounting by the day.”
A City Under Siege and a History of Horror
The crisis in al-Fashir is the latest chapter in a conflict that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). The fighting has plunged the country into what many experts call the world’s worst humanitarian disaster.
The siege of al-Fashir, ongoing since May 2024, has now culminated in the RSF’s declared victory. This carries a particularly grim resonance, as the city was the only one of Darfur’s five major state capitals not captured by the RSF or its predecessor, the Janjaweed. The RSF’s roots lie in the Janjaweed militias, which were accused of committing genocide and widespread atrocities against non-Arab ethnic groups in Darfur in the early 2000s.
“Extremely Precarious” Conditions and Mounting Evidence of Atrocities
The UN human rights office detailed a harrowing list of abuses connected to the RSF’s assault on al-Fashir:
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Summary Executions: Turk’s office has received credible reports of civilians being summarily executed while attempting to flee the city. Disturbingly, there are strong indications that these killings are ethnically motivated. The statement referenced multiple videos showing “dozens of unarmed men being shot or lying dead,” surrounded by RSF fighters who accuse them of supporting the Sudanese army.
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Mass Arbitrary Detentions: Hundreds of people, including a journalist, have been reportedly detained while trying to escape the violence, raising fears for their safety and well-being.
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Imminent Sexual Violence: The office highlighted the “extremely high” likelihood of sexual violence against women and girls, “given past realities in North Darfur.” This is a direct reference to the systematic use of rape as a weapon of war during the Darfur genocide.
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Civilian Deaths from Shelling: Reports indicate numerous civilian deaths, including among local humanitarian volunteers, due to intense artillery shelling in the city between October 22 and 26.
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Weaponizing Starvation: The office cited reports of severe food shortages and exorbitant prices, exacerbated by the RSF’s alleged summary execution of five men who were attempting to bring essential supplies into the besieged city. This aligns with accusations that the paramilitary group is using starvation as a weapon of war—a practice prohibited under international law.
A Wider Pattern of Violence
The warning was not limited to al-Fashir. The UN also reported that similar summary executions of civilians by RSF fighters are occurring in Bara city, in North Kordofan state, with dozens allegedly killed. This suggests a broader pattern of violence and a disregard for international humanitarian law.
Calls for Action and Legal Obligations
In his statement, High Commissioner Turk issued an urgent appeal for “concrete action… to ensure the protection of civilians in al-Fashir and safe passage for those trying to reach relative safety.” He directly addressed the RSF leadership, reminding them of their obligations under international law.
“I remind the RSF commanders of their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure the protection of civilians and to ensure the passage of essential supplies and humanitarian assistance,” Turk insisted. He emphasized that the law explicitly prohibits violence against non-combatants and bans the use of starvation as a tactic of war.
The fall of al-Fashir grants the RSF near-total dominance over Darfur, but it also deepens the humanitarian catastrophe and raises the terrifying specter of a return to the ethnic massacres that defined the region’s past. With the international community struggling to respond, the fate of hundreds of thousands of civilians in and around the city hangs in the balance.
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