Survivors Share Harrowing Accounts of Violence in Sudan

Sat Nov 01 2025 05:27:53 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As thousands flee el-Fasher amidst horrific violence from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), survivors recount their traumatic escape from the grips of death and destruction.

Amidst the deepening conflict in Sudan, survivors escaping the violence in the city of el-Fasher have described scenes of terror and brutality inflicted by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Ezzeldin Hassan Musa and others share chilling accounts of witnessing murders and being subjected to physical assaults. Many have made their way to Tawila, finding temporary refuge, but the grim realities of their escape and the plight of those still trapped weigh heavily on their hearts.

Shaken, scratched and left with just the clothes he is wearing, Ezzeldin Hassan Musa describes the brutality of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the wake of the paramilitary group taking control of el-Fasher city in the Darfur region.

He says its fighters tortured and murdered men trying to flee.

Now in the town of Tawila, lying exhausted on a mat under a gazebo, Ezzeldin is one of several thousand people who have made it to relative safety after escaping what the UN has described as horrific violence.

On Wednesday, RSF leader Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo admitted to violations in el-Fasher and said they would be investigated. A day later, a senior UN official stated that the RSF had informed they had arrested some suspects.

About an 80km (50-mile) journey from el-Fasher, Tawila is one of several places where those lucky enough to escape the RSF fighters are fleeing to.

We left el-Fasher four days ago. The suffering we encountered on the way was unimaginable.

We were divided into groups and beaten. The scenes were extremely brutal. We saw people murdered in front of us. We saw people being beaten. It was really terrible.

I myself was hit on the head, back, and legs. They beat me with sticks. They wanted to execute us completely. But when the opportunity arose, we ran, while others in front were detained.

Ezzeldin says he joined a group of escapees who took shelter in a building, moving by night and sometimes literally crawling along the ground to remain hidden.

Our belongings were stolen, he recalls. Phones, clothes - everything. Literally, even my shoes were stolen. Nothing was left. We went without food for three days while walking in the streets. By God's mercy, we made it through.

As many as 5,000 people have reportedly arrived in Tawila since the RSF's seizure of el-Fasher. Most new arrivals are women and children, many fleeing with only the clothes on their backs.

Medical professionals treating survivors describe high levels of trauma, malnutrition, and severe injuries among the casualties. We are trying to give them support and medical care, stated a medic from MSF.

Those who fled shared how their escape was marked by violence, witness to the brutal loss of life as fighters targeted any men in the vicinity. Ahmed Ismail Ibrahim, who escaped after being wounded by artillery, detailed how four of his companions were shot dead during their attempted flight from el-Fasher.

With reports continuing to emerge about the shocking realities of life and death in this conflict, the message from survivors resonates: Public roads should be secured for citizens, or humanitarian aid sent to the streets. People are in a critical state - they can't move, speak, or seek help.