UN Probe Finds RSF Campaign in El Fasher Amounted to Genocide

Investigators say mass killings, systematic sexual violence, abductions and deliberate starvation formed part of an intentional campaign against non-Arab communities in North Darfur.

GENEVA, July 8, 2026 — Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces carried out a coordinated campaign of killings, sexual violence, abductions and deliberate starvation during the siege and capture of El Fasher, amounting to genocide, according to findings presented by a United Nations fact-finding mission.

The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan said the violence was not a collection of isolated battlefield abuses, but part of a systematic and intentional policy targeting civilians, particularly members of the Zaghawa and Fur communities in North Darfur.

El Fasher, formerly the Sudanese army’s last major stronghold in Darfur, was captured by the RSF in October 2025 after an approximately 18-month siege. During that period, investigators found that the paramilitary force restricted the movement of civilians, blocked humanitarian assistance and disrupted access to food, water and medical supplies.

According to the mission, markets and food-delivery routes were repeatedly attacked or closed, while trucks carrying supplies were prevented from entering the city. Civilians attempting to leave El Fasher in search of food reportedly faced detention or gunfire.

The investigators concluded that these measures were deliberately used to create living conditions capable of bringing about the physical destruction of targeted communities. The report characterised the RSF campaign as “a coherent, widespread and escalating course” of violence.

Survivors describe systematic violence

The investigation was based on hundreds of interviews with witnesses and survivors, alongside verified videos, satellite imagery, public reports and consultations with human rights organisations and international institutions.

Survivors described mass executions, torture, enforced disappearances and widespread sexual violence. Women and girls were reportedly abducted and subjected to gang rape, sometimes in locations where the bodies of recently killed civilians remained.

Investigators also documented statements allegedly made by RSF fighters indicating an intention to remove or destroy non-Arab communities. The mission said the evidence demonstrated identity-based targeting connected to ethnicity, gender and perceived political affiliation.

The findings identified three acts covered by the legal definition of genocide: killing members of a protected group, causing serious physical or psychological harm, and deliberately imposing conditions intended to destroy the group in whole or in part.

The UN mission’s findings represent an investigative assessment rather than a final judgment by an international court. However, investigators said the available evidence pointed to specific intent to destroy protected communities and called for criminal accountability, including for commanders and individuals who facilitated or supported the crimes.

RSF rejects allegations

The RSF has denied committing widespread abuses during Sudan’s civil war, saying accusations against the organisation have been manufactured by its opponents. It has also made counter-allegations against the Sudanese army and allied forces.

The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces began in April 2023 following the collapse of a political transition and a power struggle between their respective commanders. The war has since devastated large parts of Sudan and displaced millions of civilians.

Warning over possible repetition in Kordofan

UN officials warned that patterns documented in El Fasher could be repeated elsewhere, particularly around El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, where the RSF has reportedly been concentrating forces.

Human rights officials have documented reports of summary executions, abductions, torture and sexual violence in areas surrounding the city. El Obeid is home to approximately half a million people, including tens of thousands of internally displaced civilians.

Mohamed Chande Othman, chair of the fact-finding mission, said the siege of El Fasher—including attacks on civilian infrastructure and restrictions on humanitarian access—should serve as a warning to the international community.

“The international community must heed these lessons and act to prevent further catastrophe,” Othman said.

The mission called for stronger enforcement of the arms embargo, unrestricted humanitarian access, targeted sanctions against those responsible for international crimes and greater cooperation with the International Criminal Court.

It also urged governments to protect survivors, journalists, medical workers, humanitarian personnel and human rights defenders, while preserving evidence that could be used in future prosecutions.