Sudan's Darfur Crisis Deepens: Mass Killings in El-Fasher Spark Global Alarm

October 30, 2025, the city of El-Fasher, the last stronghold of Sudan's military in the Darfur region, fell to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after a devastating 18-month siege. What followed has been described by humanitarian observers, satellite analysts, and survivors as a wave of mass killings, ethnic violence, and war crimes that echo the darkest chapters of Sudan's past.

A City Under Siege

El-Fasher had become a refuge for over 260,000 displaced civilians, many from non-Arab ethnic groups targeted in previous waves of violence. The RSF, which evolved from the notorious Janjaweed militias responsible for the 2003 Darfur genocide, encircled the city with trenches and sand berms, cutting off aid and trade routes. Famine spread rapidly, with Doctors Without Borders reporting that 75% of children under five screened in October were acutely malnourished.

Satellite Evidence and Eyewitness Accounts

Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab released satellite imagery showing clusters of bodies, bloodstains on sand, and burned neighborhoods. These images, taken between October 27–31, suggest systematic killings and clearance operations by RSF fighters. Survivors described summary executions, sexual violence, and separation of men from fleeing groups, many of whom were later killed.

One woman, Hayat, recounted how young men traveling with her were stopped and never seen again. Another survivor, Ikram Abdelhameed, said RSF soldiers shot men at an earthen barrier as civilians tried to escape.

Humanitarian Catastrophe

The United Nations and International Committee of the Red Cross have called the situation "apocalyptic." Over 70,000 people have fled, but nearly 200,000 remain trapped in El-Fasher. Aid workers report attacks on hospitals, including the killing of 460 patients and companions at the Saudi Maternity Hospital.

The RSF's actions have been labeled by Sudanese doctors and international observers as "a true genocide," with at least 1,500 people killed in just three days following the city's fall.

International Response and Accountability

The International Criminal Court (ICC), which has investigated Darfur atrocities since 2005, announced it is collecting evidence for future prosecutions. The RSF's leader, Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, admitted to "violations" but pledged accountability. However, videos posted by RSF fighters themselves show celebrations over dead bodies and taunting of civilians.

The conflict, which began in April 2023, has displaced over 14 million people and killed more than 150,000 nationwide. With the RSF now controlling most of Darfur, fears are mounting that Sudan could fracture further, reigniting regional instability.

Sources: ICC Prosecutors Investigate Mass Killings

Yale Satellite Analysis of El-Fasher

CBS Report on Continuing Killings

Time Magazine: 'Blood on the Sand'

Yahoo News: Echoes of Darfur Genocide

Human Rights Watch: Mass Atrocities

Al Jazeera: 'A True Genocide'

UN News: Atrocities in El-Fasher