UN: 'City of Grief' — Hundreds Killed and 82,000 Displaced After RSF Seize El‑Fasher, Darfur

UN: El‑Fasher becomes a "city of grief" after RSF capture

The United Nations Human Rights Office in Sudan has warned that brutal attacks escalated in el‑Fasher after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized the city in Darfur on October 26. UN officials say civilians who survived months of siege now face "atrocities of an unimaginable scale."

"Over the past 10 days, el‑Fasher has witnessed an escalation of brutal attacks. It has become a city of grief," said Li Fung, the UN human rights representative in Sudan, in a video posted on X. She added that hundreds have been killed, including women, children and wounded people seeking shelter in hospitals and schools.

Humanitarian toll and displacement

The International Organization for Migration estimated that roughly 82,000 people fled el‑Fasher and nearby areas by November 4, moving toward Tawila, Kebkabiya, Melit and Kutum. El‑Fasher had an estimated population of about 260,000 before the RSF takeover.

Aid groups report severe shortages in reception areas. Adam Rojal, a spokesperson for Sudan’s IDPs and Refugee Camps aid group, told the Associated Press that more than 16,000 people arrived in Tawila and many lack food, medicine, shelter supplies and psychological support. Video from the aid group shows displaced families living in a barren area with only a handful of tents—many improvised from patched tarps and sheets. Some families are reportedly managing on a single meal a day.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned of "extremely high levels of malnutrition among children and adults," and the Norwegian Refugee Council said many families are arriving with children who are no longer accompanied by their parents, after deaths, disappearances or detention en route.

Evidence of mass atrocities

A report by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab (October 28) identified evidence consistent with "mass killings," including apparent pools of blood visible in satellite imagery. Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief, warned that civilians still trapped in the city are reportedly being prevented from leaving and expressed concern about summary executions, rape and ethnically motivated violence.

Conflict spreads to Kordofan

The violence has expanded beyond Darfur. Earlier in the week a drone strike struck el‑Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, killing at least 40 people and wounding dozens. A military official told the AP the army intercepted two Chinese‑made drones targeting el‑Obeid. The RSF’s recent capture of Bara, about 60 km north of el‑Obeid, reportedly displaced more than 36,000 people, raising local fears of further attacks on strategic supply routes linking Darfur and Khartoum.

The World Health Organization estimates the broader conflict has killed at least 40,000 people, although aid groups say the real toll may be much higher.

Diplomacy and the ceasefire proposal

The Quad—Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States—has proposed a ceasefire plan that would begin with a three‑month humanitarian pause followed by a permanent ceasefire and a path toward a civilian political transition. The RSF publicly indicated a positive response to the idea, but the Sudanese government and the army have not accepted the plan. Explosions were reported in Khartoum and Atbara after the proposal was announced.

Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minnawi warned on X that any ceasefire not tied to RSF withdrawal could risk dividing Sudan. With the fall of el‑Fasher, the RSF controls all five state capitals in western Darfur, consolidating a de‑facto territorial split in the region.

Outlook

Two years into the war between the RSF and Sudan’s army, there are still no clear signs of de‑escalation. The immediate priority for humanitarian actors remains access, protection of civilians and urgent delivery of food, water, medical care and shelter to tens of thousands of newly displaced people.