Key facts
- Amnesty International accused three RSF commanders of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the 2025 siege of el-Fasher, Sudan.
- The report details widespread atrocities, including the targeting of children and non-Arab civilians, and the use of ethnic slurs.
- RSF forces allegedly burned villages to prevent residents from returning, consistent with ethnic cleansing.
- Investigators documented detention in shipping containers with extreme heat and lack of air circulation, leading to torture and unconsciousness.
- Amnesty International identified RSF commander Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris, Major General Gedo Hamdan Ahmed Mohamed, and Lieutenant Colonel Abbas Khater Bakhit as accused leaders.
- The report calls for a nationwide ceasefire and the deployment of an independent international force to Sudan.
Amnesty International has concluded that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing in North Darfur state's el-Fasher, according to a report released on Wednesday. The findings support evidence of widespread atrocities during the RSF's 18-month siege of el-Fasher, based on an analysis of images and videos.
Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general, stated that children were deliberately targeted and suffered immensely, being killed, injured, raped, abducted, and forcibly recruited on a massive scale. The report also found that non-Arab communities, particularly the Zaghawa ethnic group, were deliberately targeted, with investigators documenting the use of ethnic slurs and references to slavery. The RSF also burned villages after residents fled, actions consistent with ethnic cleansing.
The organization interviewed 247 people who witnessed or experienced abuses in North Darfur. Nine men detailed their detention in shipping containers at the Mina al-Bari detention centre for up to five months, describing stifling heat, difficulty breathing, torture, and being thrown out when guards thought they had died.
Amnesty identified three RSF leaders accused of serious violations of international law: RSF commander Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris (Abu Lulu), Major General Gedo Hamdan Ahmed Mohamed (Abu Shouk), and Lieutenant Colonel Abbas Khater Bakhit. Callamard urged the international community to move beyond statements of concern and called for a nationwide ceasefire and the deployment of an independent international force to Sudan.
The report also touches on the broader context of the conflict, noting that Sudan faces the world's largest humanitarian and displacement crisis. Famine spread during the el-Fasher siege, forcing families to consume animal feed. The RSF's roots lie in the Janjaweed, which committed genocide in Darfur. The report mentions a blocked bill aimed at stemming US weapons sales to the RSF and notes that the UAE has allegedly supplied weapons to the RSF throughout the war, despite denials. Sudan's ambassador to the US called for the RSF to be designated a terrorist organization.
Amnesty's findings align with a recent UN report stating the RSF is responsible for the majority of sexual crimes in Sudan, with rape and sexual slavery used systematically as weapons of war. The report also highlights the UAE's role as a financial and logistical backer of the RSF, with training and support provided through Libya. A coalition of rights groups has requested the ICC investigate the alleged role of UAE and neighboring country officials in aiding atrocity crimes in Darfur.