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.
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.
. 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 
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 
. The thought of partitioning the country like some experts are saying is terrifying... what if this sets off another wave of conflict? 
... 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. 
. The thought of partitioning Sudan and destabilizing the entire region is terrifying 
.
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... we should be doing more, not less, to help them 
.
. 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 
.
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 
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 
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 
.