Tue Oct 28 18:24:03 UTC 2025: ## Yale Report Alleges Mass Killings in El-Fasher Following RSF Takeover
El-Fasher, Sudan – Satellite imagery analyzed by Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) suggests mass killings are occurring in the western Sudanese city of El-Fasher following its fall to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The report, released this week, details evidence indicative of potential war crimes, crimes against humanity, and even genocide.
The RSF had besieged El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, for over a year. Following the RSF’s recent capture of the city’s main army base, Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan announced the withdrawal of his forces from their last stronghold in the region.
According to the HRL, the fall of El-Fasher has been accompanied by severe consequences, including “carpet-bombing of large swaths of the city by Sudan Armed Forces, an unknown number of civilian casualties caused by both sides, and almost 15 months of IPC-5 Famine conditions in areas caused by RSF’s siege of the city”.
The HRL report alleges a “systematic and intentional process of ethnic cleansing” targeting non-Arab communities of Fur, Zaghawa, and Berti people through forced displacement and summary execution. The organization’s analysis of satellite images reveals clusters of objects and ground discoloration interpreted as potential burial sites. These findings appear to corroborate on-the-ground reports from aid organizations describing chaotic scenes, killings, arrests, and attacks on hospitals.
The RSF has a long history of accusations of targeting non-Arab communities in Darfur. The HRL, along with aid groups and experts, had previously warned of potential mass violence and displacement if El-Fasher fell.
The ongoing conflict between the RSF and the SAF began in April 2023 and has plunged Sudan into a severe humanitarian crisis, leaving tens of thousands dead and displacing over 12 million people. The situation is further complicated by fears of a potential national split.
The RSF controls Darfur, while the SAF holds Khartoum, the Sudanese capital, along with the north and east of the country. This advance by the RSF follows recent talks by the Quad – the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates – aimed at establishing a roadmap for ending the war.
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