Analysts have uncovered evidence of mass killings in the Sudanese city of El Fasher, with satellite imagery revealing blood stains on a scale not seen before. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured a key military base over the weekend and are accused of killing more than 2,000 unarmed civilians, according to Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab, which described the violence as comparable to the first 24 hours of the Rwandan genocide.
Videos circulating on social media, though not independently verified, appear to show dozens of unarmed men being shot, bodies scattered on the ground, and burnt-out vehicles. UN leaders have condemned the mass killings. The meticulous work of human rights analysts and journalists geolocating videos posted by attackers has been crucial in documenting the atrocity, as news agencies cannot reach the city due to a media blackout imposed by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF).
The civil war between the RSF and the SAF began in April 2023 after a power struggle. More than 150,000 people have been killed and over 14 million displaced. The UN has called the situation the world's largest humanitarian crisis, with parts of Sudan pushed into famine and the RSF accused of acts of genocide. Fears had been mounting for tens of thousands of civilians trapped in El Fasher under an 18-month siege.
In a statement, the RSF claimed it had “extended control over the city of El Fasher from the grip of mercenaries and militias”. The day after the capture, SAF chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan confirmed his forces had withdrawn. Satellite imagery has been paramount in monitoring the buildup of military equipment and warning of impending attacks, but the latest massacre marks a grim new chapter in the conflict.
