El Fasher: A Year of Massacres, a Wound That Will Not Heal, and Justice That Does Not Expire with Time
On the first anniversary of the bloody events and grave violations that took place in El Fasher the capital of North Darfur state in late October 2025, the “Sudan Rights Watch Network” reflects on one of the most painful chapters in the record of abuses against civilians in Sudan. We reiterate our strongest condemnation of the crimes and violations attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). We assert that what occurred in El Fasher cannot be reduced to mere casualty figures, nor should it be consigned to oblivion amidst the rush of other events. Instead, it must remain an open case for justice a testament to the suffering of thousands of civilians who found themselves confronting death, displacement, terror, and the deprivation of their most fundamental human rights.
What unfolded in El Fasher during those days was not merely a transient military development; it was a profound humanitarian and human rights catastrophe, occurring within the context of a prolonged siege and enduring suffering, as residents lived under the weight of active combat and the total collapse of essential services. The events of late October 2025 were marked by reports of large-scale killings, serious abuses against civilians, acts of violence, forced displacement, and grave concerns regarding identity-based targeting and ethnically motivated violations.
- El Fasher is more than just a statistic in the annals of war
Today and in the days to come, we honor the memories of the civilians who lost their lives, the families that were torn apart, the women and children who endured fear, hunger, and displacement, and the survivors who continue to bear the scars of trauma and loss. We recall a city exhausted by war neighborhoods transformed into zones of fear, and families forced to confront impossible choices: remaining amidst bombardment and combat, or fleeing along perilous routes.
The gravity of what has transpired cannot be measured solely by the death toll; it extends to the destruction of survivors’ lives, the tearing apart of the social fabric, the deprivation of residents denied safety, shelter, healthcare, and food and the abandonment of countless civilians to an uncertain fate. Every victim had a name, a life, and a family, and holds a right to justice. Any attempt to obscure the truth or downplay the scale of this tragedy constitutes a fresh injustice against the victims and their loved ones.
- Condemnation of Violations Attributed to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
The “Sudan Rights Watch Network” condemns, in the strongest possible terms, the grave violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El Fasher and its surrounding areas. It asserts that any acts—including the intentional killing of civilians, identity-based targeting, torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, looting of property, or forced displacement if proven to have occurred, constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Depending on their nature, context, and the available evidence, such acts may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide. The Network emphasizes that the characterization of crimes and the determination of their final legal classification must be based on independent investigations and reliable evidence. This, however, does not diminish the urgent need to address the testimonies of survivors and reports concerning mass killings and ethnically-motivated violations.
Bearing arms does not grant any force the right to violate human dignity, nor does it permit the targeting of civilians, nor justify collective punishment or ethnic discrimination. Furthermore, military control over a city does not grant any party immunity from accountability for crimes committed therein. There is no military pretext that justifies the killing of civilians, no political justification that erases a crime, and no authority that can grant perpetrators of violations permanent immunity from justice.
- Genocide and Ethnically-Motivated Crimes Demand Truth and Accountability
The “Sudan Rights Watch Network” expresses deep concern regarding statements and reports prepared by the Network and its partner networks that document the targeting of civilians based on their ethnic or racial identity. These reports detail large-scale acts of violence that raise serious concerns regarding the commission of grave international crimes, all while there remains no visible progress toward holding the perpetrators accountable.
The Network notes that, under international law, the crime of genocide requires the substantiation of specific legal elements, including the “special intent” (*dolus specialis*) to destroy in whole or in part a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group. Consequently, determining whether the acts committed constitute genocide requires a rigorous legal investigation, as well as an examination of evidence, testimonies, and the patterns surrounding these actions.
However, these legal requirements must not serve as a pretext for delaying an investigation or disregarding the gravity of the reported events. Instead, they should provide the basis for urgent action securing evidence and ensuring the safety of witnesses and survivors. The lives of the victims cannot afford to wait; the rights of survivors must not remain hostage to political maneuvering; and the truth must not be subject to compromise.
- A Year Has Passed, Yet Questions Remain Unanswered
One year after the events in El Fasher, the Network reiterates its demand for the full truth to be revealed regarding what transpired during the last week of October 2025, involving the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This includes identifying the victims and their identities, investigating the circumstances surrounding the reported killings, enforced disappearances, and assaults, documenting the patterns of these violations, and establishing accountability for those who issued orders, carried out the crimes, or facilitated their commission.
The Network asserts that justice is not achieved merely by issuing statements of condemnation or acknowledging that a tragedy has occurred. Rather, it requires concrete actions, including independent investigations, the collection and preservation of evidence, the prosecution of those responsible in accordance with the law, the provision of redress to victims, and the assurance of the right of families to know the fate of their loved ones. Furthermore, it emphasizes that the passage of time does not extinguish the victims’ right to truth and redress, nor does it absolve those responsible for international crimes of criminal liability, provided the necessary legal conditions are met.
- Demands of the “Sudan Rights Watch Network”
Based on the foregoing, the Network demands the following:
- The conduct of independent, transparent, and comprehensive investigations into the violations that took place in El Fasher during the final days of October specifically on October 25 and 26, 2025 as well as all related violations, while ensuring safe access to witnesses, survivors, the sites of the incidents, and relevant evidence.
- The holding of those responsible for these crimes and violations to account including anyone found to bear direct or command criminal responsibility in accordance with the standards of liability established under international law and other applicable legal frameworks.
- The provision of protection for survivors, witnesses, and human rights activists, and the implementation of effective measures to prevent them from being subjected to threats, retaliation, or intimidation as a result of their cooperation with investigations.
- The disclosure of the fate of those missing or detained, the identification of victims, the provision of information to families regarding the fate of their loved ones, and the handover of human remains through procedures that uphold human dignity and adhere to scientific and legal standards.
- Ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to affected civilians and displaced persons, provide them with necessary protection, and refrain from using food, medicine, or essential services as tools for pressure or punishment.
- Involve victims and affected communities in justice and redress processes; ensure they have access to medical, psychological, and social support, as well as reparations and remedies, in accordance with the law.
- Strengthen independent documentation efforts regarding international crimes including the preservation of digital and forensic evidence and survivor testimonies while ensuring that such evidence is neither lost nor tampered with, and is not used in a way that puts victims at risk.
- Call upon relevant international and regional mechanisms to intensify efforts to investigate grave violations committed in El Fasher, establish responsibility, and support legal accountability, in line with their respective mandates and the provisions of international law.
- Reject any political settlement or arrangement that shields perpetrators of international crimes from accountability; affirm that sustainable peace cannot be built by denying the suffering of victims or sacrificing their rights for the sake of political interests.
- To the survivors, the families of the victims, and the people of El Fasher:
To those who have lost their sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, and siblings; to those still searching for their missing loved ones; to the survivors who carry in their memories scenes that time cannot erase; and to every family uprooted from their home and land: your suffering is not a mere footnote in the history of Sudan, your voices are not a burden to anyone, and your rights do not expire through oblivion. The “Sudan Rights Watch Network” affirms its solidarity with the victims, survivors, and their families. It calls for their testimonies to be documented and protected, and for their dignity to be upheld free from political or media exploitation. Furthermore, it insists that they must be key partners in any genuine process toward truth, justice, and reparation.
The memory of El Fasher is not merely an occasion for grief; it carries a moral and legal responsibility. We must not allow mass killing to be normalized, nor permit violations to be reduced to fleeting events, nor treat civilian lives as “collateral damage” in a war for which only the innocent pay the price.
- The File on El Fasher Will Not Be Closed by Silence
One year after the harrowing, bloody events that befell defenseless civilians in and around El Fasher, the “Sudan Rights Watch Network” renews its commitment to upholding the truth, defending the dignity of the victims, and demanding accountability for all those found responsible for these crimes and violations.
El Fasher is more than just a city exhausted by war; it represents a humanitarian and human rights cause that demands a serious investigation, an indelible memory, and justice that is not subject to compromise. Forgetting is not justice; silence is not fairness; and impunity cannot serve as the foundation for a genuine peace. The Network asserts that the protection of civilians, the uncovering of the truth, the holding of perpetrators to account, and the provision of reparations to victims are non-negotiable obligations commitments that cannot be deferred indefinitely. Glory to the victims in El Fasher, dignity to the survivors, redress for the families of the missing, and justice for all whose rights have been violated.
End.
Sudan Rights Watch Network
October 25, 2026