UN Report: Rapid Support Forces Committed Genocide in Al-Fashir

SadaNews - The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan stated on Thursday that the practices of the Rapid Support Forces in the city of Al-Fashir indicate the commission of "genocide," considering that the intent to commit genocide is the only logical conclusion from their systematic actions.

A UN report indicated that mass killings had occurred against thousands of civilians following the forces' control of the city after an 18-month siege, alongside sexual violence, widespread destruction, and incitement against non-Arab communities, particularly the Zaghawa and Fur.

The UN Human Rights Office estimated that at least 4,400 people were killed during the first three days of the attack, in addition to more than 1,600 while fleeing, emphasizing that the actual number is much higher.

After the fall of Al-Fashir to the Rapid Support Forces, testimonies of field executions, sexual violence, looting, kidnapping, and targeting of aid workers surfaced, transforming the situation in Al-Fashir from a military development into an international humanitarian and human rights issue presented to the Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court.

In mid-November, the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution obligating the United Nations Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan to conduct a formal investigation.

The mission reported its findings, stating that evidence proves the commission of at least three acts constituting genocide, including killing members of a protected ethnic group, inflicting serious physical and mental harm on them, and imposing living conditions deliberately aimed at exterminating them in whole or in part.

Mission head Mohammed Shandi Osman stated that the scope of the operations, their coordination, and the public support from senior officials of the Rapid Support Forces proves that the crimes in Al-Fashir and its surroundings were not isolated acts of war but part of a systematic pattern.

In December, a report by the "Guardian" concluded that the city of Al-Fashir witnessed one of the worst humanitarian disasters in the history of the Sudanese war, with an estimated 150,000 residents having disappeared since the Rapid Support Forces took control of the city.

The newspaper noted that satellite images revealed signs of multiple sites with corpses in the streets of the city, which it described as having transformed into a "vast crime scene," with indications of bodies being collected in preparation for burial in mass graves or disposal in large sites.

In a related context, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, expressed concern over reports of the death of more than 50 civilians in drone strikes conducted by conflict parties over two days this week, warning of the devastating consequences of the escalating use of drones on civilians.

Turk called on both parties to the conflict to stop the violence and engage in serious dialogue to reach a ceasefire, urging countries to halt arms transfers that fuel the conflict and undermine civilian protection.

Additionally, 24 European and Western countries expressed their concern about the ongoing targeting of civilians, destruction of infrastructure, and attacks on humanitarian missions, calling on the Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces to cease fighting immediately.

A joint statement emphasized that airstrikes and drones targeting displaced people, health facilities, and food convoys have led to a significant number of deaths and injuries, hindering access to aid, stressing that targeting humanitarian workers constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law and amounts to war crimes requiring investigation and accountability.

The statement pointed out that Darfur and Kordofan are witnessing the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, with reports of famine, sexual violence, and widespread displacement in recent months.