{"id":20128528,"date":"2026-02-19T12:30:39","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T11:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20128528"},"modified":"2026-02-19T12:40:20","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T11:40:20","slug":"un-mission-to-sudan-darfur-atrocities-bear-hallmarks-of-genocide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/un-mission-to-sudan-darfur-atrocities-bear-hallmarks-of-genocide","title":{"rendered":"UN mission to Sudan: Darfur atrocities bear \u2018hallmarks of genocide\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A report by the UN fact-finding mission released today says that ethnically targeted killings, widespread sexual violence, and enforced disappearances carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during their late-October takeover of El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, in Sudan\u2019s Darfur region show \u201challmarks of genocide\u201d against the Zaghawa and Fur communities and signal an ongoing risk of further atrocities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the new report<\/a>, the\u00a0Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan<\/a>\u00a0says that evidence establishes that at least three underlying acts of genocide were committed: \u201ckilling members of a protected ethnic group; causing serious bodily and mental harm; and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the group\u2019s physical destruction in whole or in part.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018The scale, coordination, and public endorsement of the operation by senior RSF leadership demonstrate that the crimes committed in and around El Fasher were not random excesses of war\u2026\u2019 Mohamed Chande Othman<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n

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Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair<\/a> of the mission (Photo: UN)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cThe scale, coordination, and public endorsement of the operation by senior RSF leadership demonstrate that the crimes committed in and around El Fasher were not random excesses of war,\u201d said Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair<\/a> of the mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey formed part of a planned and organized operation that bears the defining characteristics of genocide.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The findings focus on events in and around El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, during the RSF takeover in late October 2025, after what the mission described as an 18-month siege that progressively cut off civilians from food, water, medical supplies and humanitarian assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report said the siege \u201csystematically weakened the targeted population through starvation, deprivation, trauma, and confinement,\u201d leaving many unable to flee when the assault came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018Starvation, denial of assistance, mass killings, rape, torture and enforced disappearance … leaves only one reasonable inference \u2013 these are the hallmarks of genocide\u2026\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The fact-finding mission said the conduct in El Fasher was \u201can aggravation of earlier patterns\u201d of attacks on other non-Arab communities elsewhere in Sudan, \u201cbut on a far more lethal scale.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Genocidal intent, the mission said, was \u201cthe only reasonable inference\u201d from the RSF\u2019s \u201csystematic pattern of ethnically targeted killings, sexual violence, destruction, and public statements explicitly calling for the elimination of non-Arab communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Survivors cited RSF fighters as saying: \u201cIs there anyone Zaghawa among you? If we find Zaghawa, we will kill them all\u201d; and \u201cWe want to eliminate anything black from Darfur.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Mona Rishmawi (Photo: UN)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cThe body of evidence we collected \u2013 including the prolonged siege, starvation and denial of humanitarian assistance, followed by mass killings, rape, torture and enforced disappearance, systematic humiliation and perpetrators\u2019 own declarations \u2013 leaves only one reasonable inference,\u201d said mission member<\/a> Mona Rishmawi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe RSF acted with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Zaghawa and Fur communities in El Fasher. These are the hallmarks of genocide,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Zaghawa and Fur are among the largest non-Arab ethnic communities in Sudan\u2019s western Darfur region. Both groups have historically faced discrimination and were heavily targeted during earlier waves of violence in Darfur beginning in the early 2000s. Many families in and around El Fasher had already been displaced multiple times before the current conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No action despite many warnings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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Joy Ngozi Ezeilo (Photo: UN)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The report describes identity-based targeting linked to ethnicity, gender and perceived political affiliation as a central element of the operation, including the selective targeting of Zaghawa and Fur women and girls during sexual violence, while women perceived as Arab were often spared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mission also pointed to repeated warnings and \u201cclearly identified atrocity risk indicators\u201d preceding the takeover, including international calls from mid-2024 for the siege to end and civilians to be protected. \u201cDespite these warnings, no effective measures were taken by any party to protect the civilian population,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the conflict expanding to other regions, including Kordofan, the mission warned that urgent civilian protection is needed \u201cnow more than ever.\u201d Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, another mission member<\/a>, said the conduct in El Fasher was \u201can acute manifestation of patterns consistent with genocidal violence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018The risk of further genocidal acts remains serious and ongoing\u2026\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Hold perpetrators to account<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the absence of effective prevention and accountability, the mission assessed that the \u201crisk of further genocidal acts remains serious and ongoing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPerpetrators at all levels of authority must be held accountable,\u201d Othman said. \u201cWhere evidence indicates genocide, the international community has a heightened obligation to prevent, protect and ensure justice is done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact-finding mission was established by the UN Human Rights Council<\/a> in October 2023 and mandated to investigate alleged human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law in the conflict, including identifying \u2013 where possible \u2013 those responsible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The report<\/a> will be presented to the Human Rights Council on 26 February 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland (File photo: UN)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>