Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has announced the withdrawal of government troops from their last stronghold in Darfur. This decision follows the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) capturing El-Fasher, an action that the United Nations warns could lead to further atrocities against civilians.
In a statement, Al-Burhan indicated that the withdrawal was intended to protect civilians from increased bloodshed amid “systemic destruction and the killing of civilians” by the RSF. “We are determined to avenge what happened to our people in El-Fasher,” he said, asserting that the Sudanese people would hold these perpetrators accountable.
The RSF’s takeover has left over 250,000 people, including many children, under their control. Reports from aid groups detail incidents of killings, arbitrary detentions, and looting. Social media footage appears to show RSF fighters celebrating within the captured army base while assaulting civilians trying to escape.
The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has received reports that the RSF executed civilians who attempted to bring food into El-Fasher, which has been under blockade for 18 months. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk commented on the “extremely precarious situation” since the RSF declared its takeover of the army’s 6th Infantry Division.
UN humanitarian coordinator Denise Brown noted that civilians fleeing El-Fasher often face ransom demands from militias, and many who manage to escape arrive dehydrated, malnourished, and traumatized. Compounding the crisis, the Sudan Doctors Network reported that RSF fighters have kidnapped six medical personnel—including four doctors, a pharmacist, and a nurse—who were treating patients during the siege, demanding a ransom of 100 million Sudanese pounds for each doctor’s release.
Volker Türk warned that the risk of large-scale, ethnically motivated violations and further atrocities in El-Fasher is increasing. He urged the RSF to take immediate measures to halt abuses against civilians and allow humanitarian assistance, reminding RSF commanders of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect those no longer participating in hostilities and to avoid using starvation as a weapon of war.
He called on member states with influence to act decisively to prevent large-scale atrocities and to apply pressure to end the ongoing conflict. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the situation as a “terrible escalation” during his remarks in Southeast Asia, urging the international community to address external interference that complicates peace efforts.
Since the conflict began in April 2023, nearly 12 million people have been displaced, with 24 million facing hunger and 130 aid workers reported killed. Humanitarian organizations indicate that only 27% of UN aid funding has been secured, limiting responses to this severe humanitarian crisis.
Medical and rights groups, including the Sudan Doctors Union and Darfur Network for Human Rights, have characterized the RSF’s actions as “a heinous massacre” and called for the RSF to be classified as a terrorist organization. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher expressed “deep alarm” regarding civilian deaths and forced displacements, emphasizing the dire conditions faced by hundreds of thousands trapped in conflict zones. He called for rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access to El-Fasher and surrounding areas.
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