The situation in Sudan’s Darfur region continues to deteriorate, with reports of atrocities committed during and after the fall of El Fasher to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia. The United Nations human rights office has received accounts of summary executions, mass killings, rapes, and attacks on humanitarian workers, with over 36,000 people fleeing to the town of Tawila, which is already sheltering over 652,000 displaced individuals.

The RSF militia, which emerged from the genocidal violence of the Darfur conflict 20 years ago, has been engaged in a brutal conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) since April 2023. The conflict has resulted in Sudan becoming the site of the world’s largest humanitarian and displacement crisis, with approximately 14 million people displaced out of a population of 51 million.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that 460 patients and companions were killed in the alleged massacre at the Saudi Maternity Hospital and other medical centers in El Fasher. The UN human rights office has also received reports of sexual violence, including the gang rape of at least 25 women at a shelter for displaced people near El Fasher University.

Humanitarian workers and local volunteers have also been targeted, with the WHO confirming reports of attacks on health facilities and personnel. The organization has verified 189 attacks in Sudan this year, resulting in 1,670 deaths and 419 injuries. The Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan is currently only 27.4% funded, with a significant shortfall in resources to respond to the crisis.

The capture of El Fasher by the RSF has extended the militia’s territorial control across Darfur and parts of Sudan’s south, while the SAF controls the capital, Khartoum, and much of the country’s north and center. The international community is being called upon to provide urgent support to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, with the WHO warning that the situation is becoming increasingly dire. The UN is urging for an independent, transparent, and prompt investigation into the atrocities committed in El Fasher to ensure justice and accountability.