Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have committed multiple crimes against humanity during the ongoing siege of al-Fashir in the western Darfur region, according to a U.N.-mandated investigative mission.
The findings, released Friday, add to evidence of atrocities by both the RSF and Sudan’s army amid the country’s civil war, now in its third year.
The fact-finding mission, commissioned by the U.N. Human Rights Council, conducted over 200 interviews with survivors, examined video evidence, and reviewed submissions from civil organizations.
Its report, titled “A War of Atrocities,” documents widespread abuses, including mass killings, sexual and gender-based violence, looting, and destruction of livelihoods, with some actions rising to the level of persecution and extermination.
The report highlights the use of starvation as a weapon of war, with civilians deprived of essential relief items such as food and medicine.
Hundreds of thousands remain trapped under siege in al-Fashir, the last major holdout of the Sudanese army in North Darfur and the current frontline of the conflict.
The war began in April 2023, when the army and RSF—then allies in government—clashed over the integration of their forces.
Both sides have consistently denied prior allegations of abuse, blaming each other for the ongoing violence.
The U.N. mission’s latest report strengthens earlier findings, underlining the systematic and targeted nature of the RSF’s actions, and calling attention to the urgent need for international monitoring and accountability.