Mass killings reported in Sudanese city seized by paramilitary group

Violence Erupts in Sudan's Darfur Region as Paramilitary Group Seizes City

Reports of widespread atrocities are emerging from El Fasher, a city in western Darfur region that has been seized by the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the weekend. The RSF, which has been engaged in a bloody civil war with the Sudanese army since April 2023, has been accused of ethnic cleansing and mass killings against civilians.

According to local activists, who have released footage showing fighters executing unarmed civilians at point-blank range, the RSF has been conducting "door-to-door clearance operations" in the city. Satellite imagery from Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab suggests that the violence is consistent with mass killings and ethnic cleansing of Fur, Zaghawa, and Berti Indigenous non-Arab communities.

The Joint Forces, who are allied with Sudan's army, have accused the RSF of executing over 2,000 unarmed civilians in recent days. The UN rights chief, Volker Türk, has also warned of "ethnically motivated violations and atrocities" in El Fasher, stating that the Rapid Support Forces are carrying out atrocities, including summary executions.

News agencies have been unable to contact civilians in the city due to a media blackout, but reports suggest that tens of thousands of people are trapped without aid. Many have resorted to eating animal fodder, while others have fled the fighting or died in their homes.

The RSF's capture of El Fasher marks a significant turning point in the war, with the group now controlling all five state capitals in Darfur and excluding the Sudanese army from a third of the country. Experts say that this development raises the possibility of partition, potentially destabilizing the entire region.

As the situation in El Fasher continues to deteriorate, humanitarian agencies are warning of a massive influx of wounded civilians seeking medical attention. The International Rescue Committee has described the town as "at breaking point", with teams facing a massive influx of patients.

The crisis in Darfur is already one of the worst humanitarian emergencies in Africa, with over 14 million people displaced and more than 150,000 killed since April 2023. With tensions escalating in El Fasher, there are grave fears that the situation could spiral out of control, potentially repeating the atrocities seen in West Darfur's capital, Geneina, after it was captured by the RSF in 2023.

Ugh, this is just getting out of hand . I mean, can't we have some peace and stability in Sudan already? It feels like every time you turn around, there's another group taking over and committing atrocities . And now they're saying it could partition the whole country? That sounds like a recipe for disaster . I'm not surprised that humanitarian agencies are warning of a massive influx of wounded civilians, it's just heartbreaking . 14 million people displaced already? It's too much to handle, my mind is blown . When will we learn from history?

what's the deal with these paramilitary groups? they're like superpower-hungry toddlers, just taking over cities and killing anyone who gets in their way i mean, I know Sudan is a complex country with a long history of conflict, but come on... 2,000 unarmed civilians executed in one place? that's just insane and don't even get me started on the satellite imagery showing mass killings - what a lovely welcome gift to humanity . seriously though, can we please just send some aid and try to broker a peace deal already? these civilians need help ASAP

.. this is like something straight out of the news from 2004 when I watched the Genoa riots on TV... how many times have we seen this repeat itself? Sudan's got its own version of the Darfur crisis and it's heartbreaking . What happened to all those aid organizations that were supposed to help these people back in 2010? And now, they're stuck in a war zone with limited access to medical care... it's just so sad . The thought of partitioning the country like some experts are saying is terrifying... what if this sets off another wave of conflict?

The news from Sudan's Darfur region is just devastating ... how can a paramilitary group be so ruthless? I'm talking about innocent civilians being shot at point-blank range, forced to eat animal fodder... it's like they're not even human beings anymore.

I mean, the situation in El Fasher is getting out of control, and it's only going to get worse if we don't do something about it . The thought of partitioning Sudan and destabilizing the entire region is terrifying .

But at the same time, I'm not entirely optimistic that we can solve this problem overnight ... there are so many complex factors at play here, and no easy solutions in sight. We need to keep supporting humanitarian efforts and putting pressure on those who can make a difference .

It's just heartbreaking to think about all the innocent people suffering and dying in Darfur ... we should be doing more, not less, to help them .

I'm so worried about what's going on in Sudan right now . The reports coming out of El Fasher are just horrific - civilians being executed at point-blank range? It's like something out of a nightmare. I mean, we've seen some bad stuff happening in Darfur before, but this is on a whole different level.

I'm also really concerned about the fact that the RSF is controlling all five state capitals and excluding the Sudanese army from a third of the country. Partition? It's like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. And with over 14 million people displaced already, it's just not fair to think that this situation could get any worse.

I'm keeping an eye on the humanitarian agencies - they're doing some amazing work, but they really need our support right now. I hope we can all stay vigilant and keep pushing for peace in Sudan

I just found out about what's going on in Sudan and it's absolutely heartbreaking . I can only imagine how scared and lost those people must be. The fact that they're being forced to resort to eating animal fodder is just devastating . And the images of people being executed at point-blank range... it's just unbearable . It's like we're living in a nightmare where human rights aren't even on the radar anymore. I'm so worried about what's happening in El Fasher, 2,000 people killed? That's just too much for me to handle . We need to do something, anyone can make a difference, no matter how small .

This is just heartbreaking ... what's happening in Sudan is like something straight outta a horror movie. I mean, these paramilitary groups are supposed to be fighting for what? Their own interests or who knows what else? The images of unarmed civilians getting executed at point-blank range is absolutely chilling. And the fact that many people have resorted to eating animal fodder because they can't access basic necessities like food and water... it's just too much.

And let's not forget about the scale of the disaster here - 14 million displaced, 150k killed already since April 2023? It's a ticking time bomb. The thought of partition is terrifying, as if this conflict isn't bad enough. We need to get aid to those trapped in El Fasher ASAP and make sure that the UN is taking action against these atrocities.

omg what's new in darfur lol these paramilitary groups just keep taking over and its like anyone's expecting them to just stop? like seriously who thought it was a good idea for rsf to conduct door-to-door clearance ops? sounds super legit anyway hope everyone gets out safely or whatever. 14 mil displaced is a lot btw what's the point of having a media blackout when people are already dying?

OMG, this is getting so bad ... I mean, 2k unarmed civilians executed in one city? That's like a war crime right there. And the UN rights chief is saying that the RSF is doing ethnically motivated stuff? That's just horrific. The fact that thousands of ppl are trapped without aid and have to resort to eating animal fodder is just heartbreaking . I don't know how much more of this we can take. The thought of partition and destabilization in the whole region is giving me anxiety . We need to get some serious help to these ppl ASAP!

just can't believe what's happening in Sudan right now. The thought of innocent people being executed or forced to flee their homes is heartbreaking . It's like we're watching a nightmare unfold on our screens. I mean, how many times have we seen this same scenario play out, and yet it still doesn't seem to be sinking in? The numbers are staggering - over 14 million displaced and more than 150,000 killed... what's going on, world? Can't we do better than this? We need to keep calling out these atrocities and demanding that our leaders take action. Every life lost is a tragedy, but together we can make a difference .