A horrific wave of violence targeting women has been reported in the Sudanese city of El-Fasher, located in the North Darfur state. According to official sources, this event marks one of the most brutal chapters in the country’s ongoing conflict.
National authorities have confirmed that in the initial 48 hours following the city’s seizure by the Rapid Reaction Forces armed group, a minimum of 300 women lost their lives. A senior government official detailed that the victims endured rape, torture, and severe physical abuse.
The situation for civilians remaining in the city remains dire, with families reportedly facing continued beatings, humiliation, and sexual violence. A government minister has characterized the events as a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing, labeling the international community’s inaction as complicity in a massive crime. The main route for those attempting to flee to the nearby city of Tawila has been described as a “road of death,” posing extreme danger to anyone trying to escape.
The national government has formally notified the United Nations and other global bodies of the severe crimes and human rights violations perpetrated in El-Fasher. In a recent development, the commander of the Rapid Reaction Forces acknowledged that his troops had overstepped their authority and announced the formation of internal committees to investigate the conduct.
The nation has been engulfed in armed conflict since April 2023, pitting the national army against the Rapid Reaction Forces. The war has resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities and has displaced approximately 13 million people from their homes.
