UN Report: El-Fasher had 6,000 killed in three days during brutal El‑Fasher offensive
A landmark United Nations human rights report has found that more than 6,000 people were killed in just three days during a late‑October assault on the Sudanese city of El‑Fasher, marking one of the deadliest episodes in the ongoing civil war in Sudan. The findings, released on February 13, 2026, underlined the scale of violence and signaled grave concerns over war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.
Mass Casualties in El-Fasher Highlight Brutality of RSF Offensive
The U.N. Human Rights Office says Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), aided by allied Arab militias known as Janjaweed, launched a powerful assault on El‑Fasher the capital of North Darfur between October 25 and 27, 2025. During this period, at least 4,400 civilians were killed within the city, while 1,600 or more died as they tried to flee the violence.
The report’s toll is based on testimonies from more than 140 victims and witnesses, supported by satellite imagery and independently verified video analysis. Experts caution the true death toll may be significantly higher.
Atrocities and Patterns of Violence in El-Fasher
According to the U.N. document, the RSF offensive included widespread killings, summary executions, mass sexual violence, abductions for ransom, torture, and enforced disappearances. These actions appear to constitute war crimes and possible crimes against humanity, the report stated.
In one harrowing incident, heavy weapons were reportedly fired at a crowd of roughly 1,000 people taking shelter in a university dormitory, killing around 500 civilians. In another case, approximately 600 people including at least 50 children were executed while sheltering inside university facilities.
Victims also recounted systematic sexual violence against women and girls, particularly targeting members of non‑Arab communities such as the African Zaghawa tribe. Survivors described rape and gang rape being used “as a weapon of war.”
Assaults on Civilians and Infrastructure
The U.N. report cataloged additional attacks during the week‑long offensive. These included:
- A deadly RSF storming of the Saudi Maternity Hospital, where at least 460 people were killed.
- Shelling and drone strikes on the nearby Abu Shouk displaced persons camp that killed roughly 300 civilians.
- The use of civilian facilities, including a Children’s Hospital, as detention centers by RSF fighters.
U.N. Condemns Violence, Calls for Accountability on El-Fasher
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned the intense violence, noting that “persistent impunity fuels continued cycles of violence.” He emphasized the urgency of holding accountable those responsible, including commanders and political backers.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) is reportedly collecting evidence to pursue prosecutions of RSF leaders for alleged war crimes, although formal charges have yet to be announced.
Broader Context: Sudan’s Humanitarian Catastrophe
The assault on El‑Fasher occurred within the almost three‑year old civil war between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces that began in April 2023. The conflict has spiraled into one of the worst humanitarian crises globally, pushing parts of the country toward famine, forcing millions from their homes, and spawning repeated atrocities across Sudan’s regions.
The city of El‑Fasher itself was under an 18‑month blockade before its fall, cutting off essential supplies and humanitarian aid for residents. Civil society groups have reported widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and chronic shortages of food, water, and medical care in the wider Darfur region.
International and Local Reactions Grow
Governments and human rights organizations around the world have reacted with alarm to the U.N. report’s findings. Western governments, including the United Kingdom and the United States, have imposed new sanctions on key RSF figures and arms suppliers accused of prolonging the conflict.
Human rights advocates argue that the scale of the El‑Fasher killings and patterns of atrocities by paramilitary groups fit definitions of ethnic cleansing or even genocide, although the U.N. has stopped short of using that legal label in its reporting.
Echoes of Civilian Suffering in El-Fasher
The testimony of survivors and aid workers paints a haunting image of civilian suffering. People who fled El‑Fasher recount scenes of indiscriminate shootings, families torn apart, and community members executed near escape routes. Such accounts underscore how rapidly violence can escalate and devastate once‑vibrant urban centres.
With conflict continuing in other regions of Sudan and peace efforts stalled, the El‑Fasher massacre stands as a grim reminder of the urgent need for international action to protect civilians and restore stability
