A Sudanese medical organization has accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of killing 16 unarmed civilians in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, in what it describes as an ethnically motivated attack.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, March 25, the Sudan Doctors Network alleged that the victims — including three women — were executed by forces affiliated with the RSF and subsequently buried in three separate mass graves on the outskirts of the city.
The organization characterised the incident as a “heinous crime” and a “flagrant violation of international law and humanitarian principles”, warning that it reflects a broader pattern of systematic violence targeting civilians based on identity across the Darfur region.
According to the network, the killings form part of escalating abuses since October, which have forced thousands of civilians, particularly women and children, to flee their homes.
It called for urgent intervention by the international community and human rights organizations to halt the violence. The group further held the RSF leadership fully accountable for the alleged atrocities, urging stronger global action to prevent further displacement and civilian suffering. There has been no immediate response from the RSF regarding the allegations.
In October, RSF forces reportedly seized control of El-Fasher, with local and international organizations accusing them of committing massacres against civilians — developments that have heightened concerns over a potential fragmentation of Sudan. RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo has previously acknowledged that his forces committed “violations” in El-Fasher, stating that investigative committees had been established.
Beyond Darfur, Sudan’s three Kordofan states have also witnessed intensified clashes in recent weeks between the army and RSF, displacing tens of thousands. Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in conflict between the national army and the RSF over plans to integrate the paramilitary group into the military. The war has precipitated one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, leaving tens of thousands dead and nearly 13 million people displaced.
