Wed Nov 19 16:16:11 UTC 2025: News Article:
UN Official Decries “Crime Scene” in Darfur, Calls for Justice After RSF Seizure of El-Fasher
El-Fasher, Sudan – The UN’s aid chief, Tom Fletcher, has described the western Darfur region of Sudan as an “absolute horror show,” specifically labeling the city of El-Fasher a “crime scene” following its capture by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last month. Fletcher, who recently concluded a visit to Sudan, emphasized that those responsible for deliberate attacks on civilians must face justice.
El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, fell to the RSF on October 26th after an 18-month siege. Rights groups and witnesses have reported mass killings, kidnappings, and widespread sexual violence during the RSF’s campaign. Fletcher stated he heard many stories from survivors of deliberate attacks on civilians.
The UN Human Rights Council recently ordered an investigation into alleged atrocities committed in El-Fasher. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged the international community to take action against what he described as “naked cruelty used to subjugate and control an entire population.”
While the RSF denies targeting civilians, attributing any such incidents to rogue actors, the UN, human rights groups, and other observers cite evidence suggesting mass killings were committed by the armed group.
UN officials are urgently calling for greater access to El-Fasher, where tens of thousands of residents are believed to be trapped and cut off from aid, healthcare services, and other essential supplies. Over 100,000 people have fled the city since the RSF takeover, seeking refuge in nearby towns and displacement camps, according to UN figures. Survivors have described seeing bodies in the streets, and satellite images reportedly suggest RSF forces are burying bodies in mass graves.
The UNHCR reports that fighting has intensified into the neighboring Kordofan area. Besieged residents in the towns of Babanousa, Dilling, and Kadugli, are rapidly losing access to food, water, and health services, while families continue to be displaced both within Kordofan and across state borders.
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