Humanitarian Crisis Deepens as 60,000 Flee El-Fasher Amid RSF Takeover

Sat Nov 01 2025 05:28:15 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The United Nations reports a mass exodus of over 60,000 individuals from el-Fasher city in Sudan following its capture by the Rapid Support Forces, with harrowing accounts of violence and atrocity surfacing.

In the wake of a violent takeover by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in el-Fasher, Sudan, more than 60,000 residents have fled. Reports detail severe atrocities, including mass executions and sexual violence. The UN has expressed difficulty in providing adequate shelter and food for the displaced, as the humanitarian crisis rapidly escalates amid ongoing civil conflict.

More than 60,000 people have fled the Sudanese city of el-Fasher, which was captured by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the weekend, according to the UN refugee agency.

Reports indicate mass executions and crimes against humanity as the RSF fighters stormed the city after an 18-month siege involving starvation and heavy bombardment.

The flow of those fleeing the violence towards the town of Tawila, located about 80km (50 miles) west of el-Fasher, has surged in recent days, according to UNHCR's Eujin Byun. Survivors recount harrowing stories of atrocities, including rape, while the agency struggles to secure sufficient shelter and food for them.

Every child among the displaced is reportedly suffering from malnutrition. It is estimated that over 150,000 individuals are still trapped in el-Fasher, which had been the army's last stronghold in western Darfur.

The RSF has denied widespread allegations of ethnically motivated killings, claiming no systematic targeting of non-Arab populations.

Interestingly, the RSF has detained one of its militiamen, Abu Lulu, accused of summary executions. Footage showing his arrest was shared after BBC Verify identified him as responsible for the execution of multiple unarmed men near el-Fasher.

As Sudan grapples with a civil war that erupted in April 2023 between the army and RSF, the conflict has already claimed over 150,000 lives and internally displaced around 12 million people in what the UN has labeled the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.

The RSF’s takeover of el-Fasher deepens the regional divide, with the RSF now controlling much of western Sudan and the army holding the capital, Khartoum, and eastern regions. This schism follows a fallout between the former allies over plans for transitioning towards civilian rule.