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Sudan Army Retreats from El-Fasher as UN Warns of Atrocities and War Crimes by RSF
Sudan’s army withdraws from el-Fasher to “spare civilians,” as UN reports mass killings, detentions & ethnic violence by RSF forces. Over 250,000 civilians trapped amid atrocities.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-10-28
Sudan Army Retreats from El-Fasher as UN Warns of Atrocities and War Crimes by RSF

Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has announced the complete withdrawal of his forces from el-Fasher, the last military stronghold in Darfur, amid reports of atrocities committed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The announcement came a day after RSF fighters seized control of the main army base in el-Fasher and declared victory. The city, now under RSF control, is home to over 250,000 people, half of them children. Aid organizations have described chaotic scenes of killings, mass detentions, and attacks on hospitals.

In a televised statement, General al-Burhan said the army’s retreat aimed to prevent further civilian casualties amid “systemic destruction and killing” by RSF fighters.

“We decided to withdraw to spare the citizens and the city from further devastation,” he said, vowing to hold the perpetrators accountable. “We are determined to avenge what happened to our people in el-Fasher.”

The United Nations and human rights groups have expressed grave concern over the situation. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called it a “terrible escalation,” while the UN Human Rights Office reported “summary executions” and attacks with apparent ethnic motives.

Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, warned that “the risk of further large-scale, ethnically motivated atrocities in el-Fasher is mounting by the day.”

According to the Sudan Doctors Network, RSF fighters killed dozens and looted hospitals, leaving medical infrastructure in ruins. The Darfur Network for Human Rights reported that more than 1,000 civilians had been detained, calling the events “systematic targeting” and “potential war crimes.”

Among those detained is a local journalist — one of the last remaining in the city — raising fears of a media blackout. The Sudan Journalists’ Union warned that the atrocities could mirror the 2023 massacre in Geneina, where hundreds were killed.

The Sudan Doctors Union described el-Fasher as a “brutal killing field,” urging the international community to designate the RSF as a terrorist organization.

Mathilde Vu of the Norwegian Refugee Council told Al Jazeera that communication with the city has been lost.

“We’re hearing reports of mass executions, kidnappings, and unbearable suffering,” she said. “No one is safe right now in el-Fasher.”

The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that over 26,000 people have fled to nearby towns, mainly Tawila, which is already overwhelmed by displaced families.

Elsewhere, the RSF reportedly killed 47 people, including nine women, in an attack on the town of Bara in central Kordofan.

The RSF, originally formed from the notorious Janjaweed militia accused of genocide in the 2000s Darfur conflict, has been accused once again of war crimes, including ethnic cleansing and sexual violence.

Since the war began in April 2023, more than 40,000 people have been killed, and 12 million displaced, creating what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed it is investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan.
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