Emerging evidence of systematic killings in the Sudanese city of el-Fasher have prompted human rights and aid activists to describe the civil war between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the military as a continuation of the Darfur genocide.
The fall of el-Fasher, in the Darfur region, after an 18-month RSF siege brings together the different layers of the country's conflict – with echoes of its dark past and the brutality of its present-day war.
The RSF emerged from the Janjaweed, Arab militias who massacred hundreds of thousands of Darfuris from non-Arab populations, in the early 2000s.
The paramilitary force has been accused of ethnic killings since its power struggle with the army erupted into violence in April 2023. The RSF leadership has consistently denied the accusations - although on Wednesday its leader Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo admitted to violations in el-Fasher.
The current charges are based on apparent evidence of atrocities provided by the RSF fighters themselves and include gruesome videos reportedly showing summary executions.
Accounts from survivors paint a picture of terror and violence, with reports of extrajudicial killings and systematic ethnic targeting. Satellite images from Yale University suggest sites of massacre, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
The ongoing violence is characterized by a clear ethnic dimension, exacerbating fears among local populations, particularly those from the Zaghawa tribe, which has been allied with the military against the RSF. Both factions have been accused of committing war crimes in a complex and bloody conflict.
International voices have called for action, drawing parallels to historic genocides, highlighting the dire consequences of inaction by the global community.
As the situation continues to deteriorate, activists urge immediate intervention to prevent further atrocities.
