A United Nations inquiry commission has concluded that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan carried out a coordinated campaign of destruction against non‑Arab communities in and around Al‑Faschir, a campaign that exhibits characteristics of genocide. The finding appears in a report released on Thursday.
“The evidence we gathered-persistent siege, deliberate starvation, denial of humanitarian aid, followed by mass killings, rapes, torture, abductions, systematic humiliation, and the perpetrators’ own statements-leads only to this single reasonable conclusion” said Mona Rishmawi, an expert on the mission. “The RSF acted with the intent to completely or partially annihilate the Zaghawa and Fur communities of Al‑Faschir. Those are the hallmarks of genocide”.
The mission’s report documents both war crimes and crimes against humanity. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, at least three core acts of genocide were committed: killing members of a protected ethnic group, inflicting serious bodily and mental harm, and deliberately creating conditions of life aimed at the total or partial physical destruction of the group-each a core element of the genocide offense under international law.
Mohamed Chande Othman, chairman of the Sudan inquiry, stressed that “the scope, coordination, and public endorsement from the RSF leadership demonstrate that the atrocities in and around Al‑Faschir were not random war acts but part of a deliberate, organized operation bearing the characteristic features of genocide”.
The siege that preceded the carefully planned takeover of Al‑Faschir lasted 18 months. During that period, the local population was systematically weakened through hunger, deprivation, trauma, and imprisonment. The conditions deliberately created to destroy the community left the city’s residents physically exhausted, malnourished, and, for many, unable to escape. Consequently, thousands-particularly Zaghawa-disappeared, were killed, or raped within a three‑day span.
Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, another expert on the mission, warned: “As the conflict has spilled over into Kordofan, protecting civilians is more urgent than ever. The absence of effective preventive measures and accountability means the risk of further genocidal acts remains serious and immediate”.
Othman added, “Those in power at all levels must be held accountable. When evidence points to genocide, the international community has an enhanced duty to prevent, protect, and pursue justice”.