Sudan’s RSF committed crimes against humanity in El Fasher, Amnesty says

What Happened

Amnesty International released a report on Wednesday alleging that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) committed crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and war crimes during their seizure of El Fasher in North Darfur. The report, based on 247 interviews and satellite imagery analysis, documents systematic attacks against non-Arab civilians between mid-2024 and late 2025, including murder, torture, and sexual slavery. Amnesty International specifically identified three RSF commanders—Maj Gen Gedo Hamdan Ahmed Mohamed, Lt Col Abbas Khater Bakhit, and Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris—as responsible for these violations. This follows the RSF's capture of the city in late October after an 18-month siege, an event that a UN independent fact-finding mission previously stated displayed the hallmarks of genocide.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The fall of El Fasher and the subsequent documented atrocities represent a critical escalation in the Darfur conflict, effectively removing the last major SAF-controlled urban center in the region. The findings of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity underscore the failure of international protection mechanisms and highlight the severe vulnerability of non-Arab communities to targeted violence by the RSF.

Watch For

Monitor for potential international responses to the Amnesty International report, specifically regarding calls for an international protection force. Observe whether the named RSF commanders face sanctions or legal action from international bodies, and track the humanitarian situation for the hundreds of thousands displaced by the RSF's operations in North Darfur.