Amnesty International has issued searing new allegations that Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) committed mass killings, sexual violence, and other war crimes in the North Darfur city of El‑Fasher after capturing it in October 2025. The rights group further asserts that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has played a facilitative role by backing the RSF — charges that the UAE strongly denies.
Atrocities in El‑Fasher: Survivor Testimonies
According to Amnesty International, testimony from more than two dozen survivors describes a brutal takeover of El‑Fasher. RSF fighters allegedly executed dozens of unarmed men, beat and abducted civilians for ransom, and left hundreds of dead bodies scattered on city streets and exit routes.
Women and girls who escaped the city detailed harrowing experiences of rape, gang-rape, and sexual assault by RSF fighters, with some survivors reporting that even their daughters were abused. Amnesty International called for international pressure on the UAE to cut all support to the paramilitary group.
Wider Context: Siege, Ethnic Violence, and Accountability Calls
El‑Fasher had been under an 18-month siege by the RSF. Human rights experts note that the violence has an ethnic dimension, with targeted executions and forced displacement affecting non-Arab communities, including the Fur, Zaghawa, and Berti peoples.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has warned that the reported mass killings and sexual violence may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. Meanwhile, a truce agreement — reportedly involving the UAE — was announced for three months, though critics caution it may be more symbolic than substantive.
Global Reaction and Calls for Accountability
Amnesty and other advocacy groups are pressing the international community, including the United Nations and African regional bodies, to demand accountability. The UN Human Rights Office has warned of entrenched impunity in Sudan, citing deliberate attacks on civilians, summary executions, and raids on medical facilities.
The UAE has strongly denied the allegations, condemning the attacks in El‑Fasher and asserting that it does not provide support to any side in the conflict.
Analysis: The Stakes and Implications
- Humanitarian Crisis: The alleged scale of atrocities — from mass executions to sexual violence — underscores a worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Darfur.
- Geopolitical Dimensions: Accusations against the UAE highlight how foreign actors may be fueling the conflict, raising questions about external intervention and regional complicity.
- Accountability Gap: The challenge remains not only documenting war crimes but ensuring perpetrators are held accountable, whether through the ICC, UN mechanisms, or regional justice initiatives.
- Risk of Escalation: Ethnic targeting, if confirmed, could inflame long-standing inter-communal tensions and deepen Sudan’s fragmentation.
