Amnesty: RSF Accused of War Crimes in el-Fasher as Survivors Describe Killings and Rape

Amnesty International says its investigators have documented war crimes by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Darfur town of el-Fasher, according to a report released on Tuesday. The announcement came hours after the RSF said it would enter a three-month humanitarian truce linked to international mediation efforts involving the United States and regional partners.

Sudan descended into widespread violence in April 2023 when a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF erupted into open fighting across the country, including in the capital, Khartoum. The RSF, now led by Mohamed Daglo (also known as Hemedti), seized el-Fasher at the end of October — the last major city in Darfur that had remained outside their control.

Key findings from the Amnesty report

Amnesty says it collected testimonies from 28 survivors who described a pattern of atrocities in el-Fasher. Accounts include summary executions of unarmed men, widespread sexual violence against girls and women, and indiscriminate shootings of civilians attempting to flee. The report concludes that "this persistent, widespread violence against civilians constitutes war crimes and may also constitute other crimes under international law."

“The RSF were killing people as if they were flies. It was a massacre. None of the people killed that I have seen were armed soldiers,” one witness told investigators.

Another survivor described being raped alongside her 14-year-old daughter while fleeing the town; the daughter later fell gravely ill and died in a clinic at the refugee settlement of Tawila, the report says.

Mediation, denials and calls for accountability

Attempts at mediation have so far failed to stop the fighting, with both sides trying to consolidate military gains before negotiations can proceed. On Sunday, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan rejected a US-backed truce proposal from the Quad mediators — the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates — calling it the “worst yet” and arguing the presence of the UAE made the proposal biased. The UAE has denied involvement in the conflict and accused Burhan of obstructing talks.

United Nations and human-rights officials have urged investigations and accountability. Amnesty’s secretary-general Agnes Callamard said all those responsible must be held to account under international law.

Context: The unfolding humanitarian crisis in Darfur has displaced thousands and left many communities without access to basic services. Independent investigations and safe, sustained humanitarian access are widely seen as urgent priorities to protect civilians and document abuses.