RSF killed 16 civilians in El Fasher in ethnic attack, doctors say
March 25, 2026 (EL FASHER) – Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed 16 civilians, including three women, in ethnically motivated attacks in El Fasher, North Darfur, the Sudan Doctors Network said on Wednesday.
The network said in a statement that the paramilitary force carried out the summary executions against unarmed residents within the city.
The victims were buried in three separate mass graves on the outskirts of El Fasher, according to the doctors’ group, which described the scene as a reflection of the tragedy facing civilians in conflict zones.
The Sudan Doctors Network condemned the killings as a “heinous crime” and a flagrant violation of international law and human values.
The RSF has been accused of systematic abuses in El Fasher since its first major assault in May 2024, including the destruction of hospitals and water facilities. Reports of mass killings intensified after the force seized full control of the city last October.
On Feb. 19, 2026, an independent UN Fact-Finding Mission reported that the RSF committed genocide during its takeover of El Fasher.
Earlier in February, the UN Human Rights Office documented the deaths of more than 6,000 people during the first three days of the assault on the city, with thousands more killed during the subsequent occupation or while attempting to flee.
Assessments by the International Criminal Court and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights indicate that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in the North Darfur capital.
The doctors’ group stated that the continued targeting of civilians based on their identity reflects an escalating pattern of systematic violence in the Darfur region.
The network called on the international community and rights organizations to take urgent action to halt violations that have displaced thousands of women and children since October.
The statement held RSF leadership responsible for the crimes and urged global powers to play a more effective role in stopping the atrocities driving the displacement crisis.
Since taking control of the city months ago, the RSF has maintained strict restrictions on humanitarian access and banned satellite internet services, a move observers say is intended to suppress evidence of atrocities.