El Fasher Falls: Reports of Civilian Killings and Mass Displacement Emerge After RSF Capture
El Fasher, Sudan - The North Darfur capital of El Fasher has fallen to the Rapid support Forces (RSF), triggering a wave of violence, mass displacement, and reports of targeted killings, according to eyewitness accounts and aid organizations. The city’s capture marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army, raising fears for the safety of hundreds of thousands of civilians already grappling with a humanitarian crisis.
The fall of El fasher, a vital humanitarian hub and home to a large population of internally displaced persons, threatens to exacerbate an existing catastrophe. The city served as a relative haven for those fleeing fighting in other parts of Darfur, and it’s capture plunges the region deeper into chaos. The conflict, which erupted in April 2023 between the army, lead by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo – known as Hemedti – has already displaced over 8 million people, creating one of the largest displacement crises in the world.
Eyewitnesses report widespread brutality following the RSF’s takeover. residents described scenes of civilians killed “in their beds,” and accounts detail the separation of captured individuals in Garney by gender and perceived affiliation, with men suspected of being fighters detained and ransoms demanded for civilian release. Many escaping El Fasher hid near army artillery units before fleeing west under cover of darkness, while families already displaced from abu Shouk camp were forced to move again, seeking refuge in Daraja Oula and then Tawila.
The sudanese liberation Army-Awakening (SLA-AW) has deployed additional fighters around Tawila “to protect those fleeing El Fasher and to prevent clashes if the RSF pursues armed groups who have retreated with their weapons,” a local commander stated. Elements of the Sudanese army and allied groups continue to resist in the Jebel Wana area, north-west of El Fasher.
Médicins Sans Frontières (MSF) reports a large influx of people arriving at its clinic in Tawila hospital, with over 1,000 people reaching the facility in a single night. “many were in a state of great weakness suffering from malnutrition and dehydration,” says MSF project coordinator Sylvain Penicaud, highlighting the desperate conditions faced by those fleeing the violence.
Hemedti has stated that any soldier or officer who had “violated the right of any person” would be held accountable, though the veracity of such claims remains unverified amidst the ongoing conflict. the situation in El Fasher and surrounding areas remains fluid and deeply concerning, with aid organizations warning that those trapped are on the “edge of survival.”
