El Fasher, genocide and war crimes in Sudan

The capture of El Fasher, in North Darfur, by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militias in October 2025 constitutes one of the most serious episodes of the Sudanese civil war. UN reports describe a planned massacre following eighteen months of siege, with the civilian population —nearly half a million people, including displaced persons— trapped in the city.

In February 2026, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights documented acts that could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Testimonies were collected regarding the attack on the Al-Rashid university residence, where hundreds of civilians were killed. Summary executions of young men and the systematic use of sexual violence were also reported.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator, Denise Brown, described El Fasher as “a scene of mass crime.” Meanwhile, the population faces extreme hunger —with rice at exorbitant prices— and the collapse of the healthcare system, with no guarantees of access to aid.

The UN Security Council remains deadlocked by vetoes, preventing effective measures to ensure civilian protection and humanitarian access. The designation of the events as genocide by the United States has not translated into an international strategy capable of curbing impunity or the flow of weapons into the conflict.