• UN findings indicate genocide hallmarks from RSF actions in El-Fasher.
• Over 6,000 people reported killed within three days of the city’s capture.
• The RSF's tactics involved systematic targeting of non-Arab communities, primarily Zaghawa and Fur.
• International scrutiny on UAE for alleged support of RSF amid ongoing conflict.
• Urgent calls for global accountability and humanitarian assistance for affected populations.

A recent United Nations investigation has concluded that the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) committed acts that bear the hallmarks of genocide during their violent seizure of the city of El-Fasher in North Darfur, Sudan, in late October 2025. The report noted that the takeover followed an 18-month siege which resulted in three days of severe violence, specifically targeting the Zaghawa and Fur ethnic communities, leading to international condemnation and calls for accountability for those responsible, according to BBC, Africanews, and Al Jazeera.

The UN report detailed a systematic pattern of atrocities, including killings, torture, sexual violence, and the enforced disappearance of civilians amidst the RSF’s campaign to inflict conditions aimed at the physical destruction of these communities. The RSF’s leadership is accused of orchestrating these acts, with public endorsements suggesting organized planning rather than random violence, as stated by mission chairman Mohamad Chande Othman, according to Middle East Eye and Middle East Eye.

During the RSF's siege and subsequent assault on El-Fasher, witnesses reported that thousands of people were either killed or went missing, with many being subjected to extreme violence. The report highlighted that RSF fighters failed to distinguish between armed defenders and civilians, exacerbating the toll on the vulnerable population. Reports state that sexual violence was widespread, with females between the ages of seven and seventy, including pregnant women, facing brutal assaults, according to BBC, Africanews, and Al Jazeera.

The investigation’s findings have drawn significant focus on the role of foreign powers, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is allegedly implicated in supporting the RSF. Concerns are raised regarding the UAE's involvement amidst reports of extensive funding and military support to the paramilitary group, prompting calls for international sanctions and tighter enforcement of the arms embargo on the region. Previous investigations have suggested that external backing has been crucial in maintaining the RSF's campaign, as detailed by Middle East Eye and Middle East Eye.

The continued advocacy from human rights organizations emphasizes the urgent need for humanitarian access and international intervention to prevent further atrocities in Sudan. With estimates of over 60,000 deaths and millions displaced since the conflict began in April 2023, the scale of human suffering has reached unprecedented levels, indicating the necessity for immediate humanitarian efforts and global accountability mechanisms, according to BBC, Africanews, Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye, and Middle East Eye.