Civilians Face Atrocities One Year After El Fasher Fall
Rapid Support Forces continue committing human rights abuses in El Fasher one year after seizing the city from the Sudanese Armed Forces.
One year after the fall of El Fasher in October 2025, civilians in North Darfur State face arbitrary detention, torture, and starvation. The city, once a major agricultural hub and the final stronghold for the Sudanese Armed Forces and Allied Joint Forces, fell to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following an 18-month siege.
Amnesty International reports that the RSF committed ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, specifically targeting the Zaghawa people. The paramilitary group currently utilizes schools as detention centers. Agnes Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International, stated that RSF claims that the city is safe for civilians to return to "could not be further from the truth."
The humanitarian crisis has expanded, with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reporting that nearly 900,000 displaced people are sheltering in Tawila under dire conditions. While the UN's $2.9 billion response plan is only 46% funded, drone strikes continue to hit civilian infrastructure in Gedaref and North Kordofan states.
International responses include sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom on commanders from both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces. Additionally, a coalition including the United States, United Kingdom, France, and Canada has warned of an alarming deterioration in food security across the region.
