Amnesty International has accused Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of carrying out ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity during a prolonged assault on the city of el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, according to Al Jazeera News.
In a report released on Wednesday, the rights group said civilians were subjected to widespread violence between early 2024 and October 2025. People were killed, injured, beaten, detained, and tortured as fighting intensified in and around the city.
According to Amnesty, the RSF committed a range of serious abuses, including murder, forced displacement, imprisonment, rape, sexual slavery, and persecution. The report describes a campaign that targeted communities, particularly in villages around el-Fasher where the Zaghawa ethnic group largely lives.
The human toll has been severe. Hundreds of thousands of children have been displaced, many forced to flee multiple times under dangerous conditions. Many have lost their families, while older people and those with disabilities faced heightened risks, including being left behind or denied aid.
Sudan has been locked in a devastating conflict since April 2023, as fighting between the army and the RSF has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 14 million people, according to the United Nations. Both sides have been accused of committing serious abuses. Earlier this year, a UN fact-finding mission said the violence in el-Fasher showed signs of genocide.
Amnesty based its findings on interviews with 246 people, including more than 200 survivors. Witnesses described scenes of extreme violence. One woman said she saw nearly 1,000 bodies, including those of children, after a major offensive in October 2025.
The report also highlights a long siege of the city from May 2024 to October 2025. During this time, food and aid were restricted, and daily shelling pushed residents into famine-like conditions. Many survived on ambaz, a byproduct usually used as animal feed.
Amnesty’s Secretary-General Agnes Callamard called the situation a “war on civilians” and urged immediate international action, including a ceasefire and the deployment of forces to protect civilians.
