Sudan’s el-Fasher Devastated as RSF Seizes Control
The United Nations has declared el-Fasher, North Darfur’s capital, a “crime scene” following its violent capture by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). UN aid chief Martin Griffiths condemned widespread atrocities—including mass killings, sexual violence, and ethnic targeting—as the city’s fall escalates Sudan’s civil war toward genocide-level horrors.
A City in Ruins: Eyewitness Accounts
El-Fasher, home to 1.8 million people and a refuge for displaced families, was the last Darfur city partially held by Sudan’s military (SAF) before the RSF seized it on May 25, 2024. Survivors report:
– Streets strewn with bodies
– Hospitals deliberately shelled
– Neighborhoods burned systematically
“This isn’t war—it’s a massacre,” said Griffiths, citing 500+ civilian deaths (mostly women/children) with tolls expected to rise.
Ethnic Cleansing Returns to Darfur
Satellite imagery and survivor testimonies reveal:
– RSF (descended from genocide-era Janjaweed) targeting Masalit communities
– Execution-style killings and rape as weapons
– Villages razed in apparent ethnic cleansing
“They’re repeating 2003’s horrors,” said an anonymous rights monitor.
Famine and Collapsed Aid Networks
El-Fasher’s fall cripples Darfur’s last functional aid hub:
– WFP warns of “worst hunger crisis in decades”
– 10M displaced; 2M fled to Chad/South Sudan
– Children dying from preventable diseases
Global Inaction Fuels Crisis
Despite warnings, international response remains weak:
– UN Security Council deadlocked on sanctions
– African Union mediation stalled
– U.S./EU condemnations lack concrete action
“World’s silence is complicity,” said activist Hala al-Karib.
RSF’s Next Move: Khartoum or Consolidation?
Analysts fear RSF may advance toward Sudan’s capital as civilians face:
– No safe zones
– Blocked humanitarian access
– Mounting casualties
— Reporting by NextMinuteNews Global Desk
