Reports indicate that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group in Sudan, are actively engaged in a campaign to eliminate evidence of mass killings in the city of El-Fasher, located in North Darfur. According to a recent analysis by Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL), this follows the RSF’s complete takeover of El-Fasher on October 26, 2023, after a prolonged siege lasting over 500 days.
Eyewitness accounts and the HRL report reveal that the RSF has conducted systematic operations targeting civilians attempting to flee the city, resulting in numerous fatalities. Witnesses described chilling door-to-door killings and the pursuit of civilians escaping the violence. The report states that the RSF has likely buried or burned tens of thousands of bodies as part of a multi-week initiative to destroy evidence of its extensive atrocities.
The UN’s World Food Programme estimates that between 70,000 and 100,000 people may still be trapped within El-Fasher. The HRL’s conclusions emerged from satellite imagery covering an area of approximately 700 square kilometers around the city, which was initially encircled by a wall constructed by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and later completed by the RSF.
Evidence of Mass Atrocities and International Response
The HRL’s analysis indicates a high level of confidence that the RSF has engaged in widespread killings, particularly targeting civilians in the Daraja Oula neighborhood. Mohamed Hassan, a resident of El-Fasher, recounted harrowing events, stating, “I have seen the bodies in Daraja Oula… The RSF entered the neighborhood one by one and fired on everybody.” He described how RSF fighters separated families, subjecting women to verbal abuse while executing men they suspected of being affiliated with the SAF or Joint Forces.
Satellite images taken between October 26 and November 1 showed “clusters of objects consistent with human remains” in 150 different locations throughout El-Fasher and its surroundings. Yale’s HRL monitored these locations until November 28, noting changes in size at 108 of the sites, including 57 that were no longer visible, suggesting the removal of bodies.
While the HRL could not definitively confirm that all disturbances indicated mass graves, it observed objects consistent with human remains, particularly near a site once used as a children’s hospital that is believed to have functioned as an RSF detention center. The analysis also identified instances of reddish discoloration on the imagery, indicative of blood or bodily fluids, affirming that the violence in El-Fasher leaves visible traces even from space.
The HRL found links between the RSF, which is reportedly supported by the United Arab Emirates, and the violence documented in its report. Various RSF vehicles were spotted near at least 31 clusters of evidence. Instances of burning objects and mass killings at detention sites and military facilities further underscore the severity of the situation.
The Broader Humanitarian Crisis in Sudan
The violence that erupted in April 2023 has escalated into what the United Nations describes as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. Over 14 million Sudanese have been displaced from their homes, and while precise death toll figures are unavailable, estimates from aid agencies suggest the number may be in the hundreds of thousands.
In a troubling development over the weekend, Sudan’s Forensic Medicine Authority reported overseeing the collection, transportation, and burial of 15,000 bodies from various neighborhoods and schools in Khartoum state. Many of these bodies were hastily buried by civilians or disposed of in mass graves by RSF forces.
Although both the RSF and SAF have been accused of committing atrocities, the RSF faces significant allegations of genocide against non-Arab groups in Darfur. The widespread murder and rape of civilians following the RSF’s control of El-Fasher have provoked international condemnation and increased scrutiny on the group’s primary backer, the UAE, which has been actively lobbying to mitigate repercussions for its involvement.
In a related diplomatic effort, Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan met with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh. The discussions reportedly included the UAE’s role in the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Meanwhile, Egypt and Turkey have intensified military support for the SAF.
In light of the growing international backlash, RSF chief General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti, announced an investigation into alleged violations committed by his forces during the El-Fasher takeover. The outcome of this investigation remains to be seen, but the unfolding events continue to draw attention to the dire humanitarian situation in Sudan.
