Khartoum:  Sudan’s civil war has taken a horrifying turn, with reports of large-scale killings and destruction in the city of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. The United Nations and human rights groups have condemned what they describe as one of the worst atrocities in the country’s recent history, following the capture of the city by the Rapid Support Forces, known as RSF, from the Sudanese Armed Forces after months of siege.

According to humanitarian workers and local sources, more than 1,500 people were killed within three days after the RSF took control of El Fasher on October 26. Later reports suggest the number of victims may have exceeded 2,000, including many women and children. Satellite images and field investigations show signs of mass graves, burned houses, and destroyed hospitals across the city.

Eyewitnesses describe the situation in El Fasher as unbearable. Thousands of residents have been fleeing the city on foot through the desert, walking for days in search of safety. Many children, elderly people, and wounded civilians are among those escaping, often without food, water, or shelter. Aid agencies say that at least 33,000 people have fled El Fasher in the past week, adding to the more than 12 million people already displaced across Sudan since the war began in April 2023.

One of the worst incidents took place at the Saudi Hospital in El Fasher, where aid groups report that nearly 460 patients and their relatives were killed after RSF fighters attacked the facility. Health workers have been unable to reach the area due to continuing clashes and blocked roads. The United Nations Human Rights Office said it has received credible information about summary executions, sexual violence, and other serious violations committed by RSF fighters in the city and nearby areas.

El Fasher was the last major stronghold of the Sudanese army in the Darfur region. Its fall represents a major victory for the RSF, which now controls most of western Sudan. The RSF grew out of the Janjaweed militias that were accused of committing genocide in Darfur in the early 2000s, and many fear that similar ethnic violence is happening again. Witnesses have reported that fighters targeted non-Arab communities, especially members of the Masalit and Fur groups.

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting this week, with top officials calling the killings horrifying and demanding an immediate stop to attacks on civilians. UN Secretary General António Guterres said he was deeply shocked by the violence and urged both sides to respect international law and allow humanitarian access. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called for an independent investigation into what they say could be war crimes or crimes against humanity.

The civil war in Sudan began in April 2023 after a power struggle between the country’s military leader General Abdel Fattah al Burhan, who commands the Sudanese Armed Forces, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, who leads the RSF. The two men were once allies and led a military coup against the civilian government in 2021, but they later turned against each other in a fight for control of the country. Since then, the war has devastated Sudan, killing tens of thousands of people and creating one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises.

International aid groups say nearly half of Sudan’s population, around 25 million people, now need urgent humanitarian assistance. Food shortages, lack of medical supplies, and blocked relief routes have worsened the suffering. The RSF’s capture of El Fasher has made it even harder for aid convoys to reach those in need, as access roads are closed and the security situation continues to collapse.

Global leaders from the African Union, Arab League, and European Union have urged both parties to stop fighting and return to peace talks. But despite growing international outrage, diplomatic efforts have failed to end the conflict.

For now, civilians remain trapped in fear and despair. With El Fasher under RSF control and communications cut off, the full scale of the killings is still unknown. As the violence spreads and humanitarian aid struggles to reach survivors, the world watches in alarm as Darfur once again faces the threat of mass atrocities and human tragedy.