Over a continuous period of ninety days, the Mashad Observatory for Human Rights has documented shocking dimensions of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in El Fasher as a result of large-scale violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians. Field data indicates that the number of victims has exceeded 2,458 civilians, including those killed, arbitrarily detained, or directly subjected to abuses. These figures reflect a systematic pattern of crimes amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, with direct responsibility falling on the RSF leadership and its operatives.
Indiscriminate shelling with heavy artillery by the RSF has killed at least 344 civilians, among them 72 children. The RSF also carried out mass executions and extrajudicial killings that claimed the lives of more than 1,930 men and elderly civilians who attempted to flee the city. In addition, no fewer than 709 young men remain subjected to arbitrary detention and torture at the hands of RSF members. The Observatory has further documented horrifying cases of sexual violence perpetrated by RSF fighters, affecting 25 women, including 11 underage girls below the age of eighteen, in blatant violation of human rights and human dignity.
The data further indicates that the siege imposed by the RSF has exacerbated famine, along with severe shortages of food and medicine, resulting in the deaths of more than 184 civilians, including 52 children. Humanitarian actors have not been spared from these violations: RSF forces assassinated three leaders of national humanitarian organizations, and attacked the “Hope Convoy”, burning its contents, confiscating the remaining aid, and preventing its delivery to besieged civilians. Every single day, children, women, and the elderly in El Fasher endure death by starvation, disease, and fear—amid an unjustifiable silence from the international community.
These figures clearly demonstrate the systematic and organized nature of the crimes committed by the RSF, placing its leadership and fighters under direct criminal liability in accordance with international humanitarian law and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. This includes individual accountability for commanders and perpetrators alike.
The Mashad Observatory for Human Rights holds the RSF fully responsible for these crimes and reiterates its call upon the United Nations, the African Union, and the League of Arab States to act urgently in order to:
• Halt the violations committed by the RSF;
• Provide effective protection for civilians;
• Ensure unimpeded humanitarian access;
• Impose immediate sanctions on RSF leaders;
• Designate the RSF as a terrorist organization to ensure accountability;
• Establish an independent international commission of inquiry on El Fasher to investigate all violations and bring perpetrators to justice.
The Observatory reaffirms its commitment to continue documenting and closely monitoring violations in El Fasher, submitting comprehensive reports to the relevant international bodies to guarantee accountability and protect civilians. It remains steadfast in exposing the truth and supporting victims in the face of these ongoing crimes.
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