United Nations Finds Civil War in Sudan Has ‘Hallmarks of Genocide’

Author: Sydney Sanders

April 2, 2026

Families fleeing conflict in Sudan arrive at a transit centre in Aweil, South Sudan. [Image credit: Sudan’s El Fasher siege: UN humanitarians killed as refugee crisis intensifies | UN News ]

Sudan has been entangled in a brutal civil war for almost two years. In February, the United Nations Human Rights Council, “The Mission”, released a report on the siege of El-Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces, a Sudanese paramilitary group. El-Fasher was the last-standing major city under the control of the Sudanese Armed Forces. The report details the horrors that took place in the city over the span of a few days last October and strongly argues that the targeted mass killings and related atrocities “are indicators of a genocidal path.” The Mission found evidence of three out of five physical elements of genocide, as well as a clear desire to target and eradicate non-Arab ethnic groups. 

Sudan’s History of Conflict & the Rapid Support Forces

The people of Sudan have been plagued by conflict for over two decades. The latest conflict is a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). This conflict began in 2023, at a time when the country was already experiencing extremely high levels of humanitarian need.

The RSF is a recent rebranding of the Janjaweed militias, who played a major role in support of the Sudanese government in the Darfur war beginning in 2003, in which rebels launched an insurrection to protest the Sudanese government’s inattention to the western region of the country and its non-Arab population. The militias suppressed the insurrection on behalf of the Sudanese government and contributed to mass killings and ethnic cleansings, leading the International Criminal Court to condemn the conflict as a genocide against non-Arab populations. In 2013, then-President Omar al-Bashir formalized and centralized the Janjaweed militias, renaming them the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). In 2017, a law solidified RSF’s role in support of the Sudanese government, operating parallel to the SAF. “This formalization allowed the perpetrators of state-sanctioned violence to gain legal standing, transforming the group into a powerful national paramilitary entity” (LegalClarity). 

In 2019, a military coup was staged by both the RSF and SAF to overthrow longtime authoritarian President Omar al-Bashir. In the aftermath, the RSF and SAF shared a fragile power structure, an arrangement that “created an unstable dual-military system where both forces held political and military sway” (LegalClarity).

In October 2021, another coup, organized by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the SAF and, in effect, the country’s president, and his deputy, RSF leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as “Hemedti,” overthrew the recently formed military-civilian government established after the 2019 coup. 

The groups soon began to disagree over the future of the country. Over the next couple of years, tensions between the groups rose as the RSF was set to be integrated into the national army. This change was a requirement of the December 2022 political framework agreement aimed at setting the foundation for a civilian government. The SAF called for the integration to be swift, fearing the RSF’s autonomy and economic power. However, the RSF aimed to maintain its structure and influence, resisting its integration. The fight for control ultimately led to the breakdown of their alliance post-coup and the outbreak of civil war in April 2023.

Civil War in Sudan - The Siege of El-Fasher

 In early 2023, the SAF lined the streets in the capital of Khartoum. The RSF had redeployed members around the country. These movements led to the first shots of the war, fired on April 15, 2023. Both sides accused the other of firing first. Fighting also broke out in the western Darfur region of Sudan. The fighting in Khartoum has persisted, with fighting in the western region growing significantly, all while truces and ceasefires are continually broken. 

On October 27, 2025, in a brutal attack, the RSF captured the final major city under SAF control, the capital of North Darfur, El-Fasher.

United Nations “Sudan: Hallmarks of Genocide in El-Fasher” Report 

On February 16, 2026, the United Nations Human Rights Council released a report on the siege of El-Fasher, detailing the horrors that took place in the city over the span of a few days last October. The report strongly argues that the targeted mass killings and related atrocities “are indicators of a genocidal path” (United Nations). The report positions the attack on El-Fasher as part of an 18-month siege in which the RSF “deliberately imposed conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction of non-Arab communities, in particular the Zaghawa and the Fur” (United Nations). The actions in El-Fasher are a continuation of earlier attacks against other non-Arab communities elsewhere in Sudan, but on a far more lethal scale. The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan (“the Mission”) gathered in-depth details on the siege through testimonial interviews from witnesses and victims, data from public reports, and related material. They collaborated with a range of international and regional entities, despite a lack of cooperation from the government of Sudan or the RSF. 

The report notes that the siege of El-Fasher occurred despite numerous warnings and “clearly identified atrocity risk indicators” (United Nations). Despite these warnings, no protections for civilians were put into place, leading to the catastrophic events that followed. The report argues, “the Rapid Support Forces exhibited a pervasive, consistent and identifiable operational pattern characterised by ethnically discriminatory targeting, encirclement and siege tactics, and systematic violence against civilians” (United Nations). People in El-Fasher faced repeated displacement, fleeing from violence to a displacement camp, then having to return to dangerous neighborhoods inside the city when the camps fell. “Each displacement compounded existing vulnerabilities, particularly for women, children, and elderly persons” (United Nations).

Conditions of life in El-Fasher became unbearable, a purposeful tactic used by the RSF to exacerbate the effect of the siege. The RSF employed starvation as a tool of war, attacking markets, cutting off supply routes to the city, and denying entry for trucks carrying food. Civilians inside El-Fasher were dying from severe malnutrition and starvation, particularly children and older people. Water was scarce, medical supplies were crucially limited, and humanitarian operations were denied access. 

"Life became unbearable. We were eating only Ombaz - the food for livestock. When there was no more, we ate the skin of the animal. We soaked it in water and ate” (United Nations Human Rights Council Report on Sudan: Hallmarks of Genocide in El-Fasher).

The taking of El-Fasher occurred over a span of three days. As RSF strikes intensified, counterfire by SAF diminished, leaving the civilians of El-Fasher to fend for themselves, an impossible feat. On October 24, 2025, the SAF were ordered to leave El-Fasher. Some soldiers tried to warn civilians to flee, while others were cut off, resisted, and were killed while attempting to surrender. On October 26, the RSF entered the city, leaving behind them a trail of destruction and in front of them, more destruction to come. 

Genocide in International Law

The word “genocide” was first coined by Polish lawyer Raphäel Lemkin in 1944, partly in response to the systematic killing of Jewish people by Nazis during the Holocaust, but also in response to other past targeted actions aimed at the destruction of groups of people. Raphäel Lemkin was later instrumental in having genocide recognised and codified as a crime in international law. 

Genocide was first recognised as a crime under international law in 1946 by the United Nations General Assembly and was codified as an independent crime in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the Genocide Convention), which has currently been ratified by 153 States. However, whether or not States have ratified the Genocide Convention, all states are bound by law by the principle that genocide is a crime prohibited under international law, and no derogations or exemptions are allowed. Genocide is defined in the Genocide Convention (Article 2) and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (Article 6) in the same terms.

Article 2 in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide defines genocide as including two elements: 

1. A mental element: the "intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such"; and

2. A physical element, which includes the following five acts, enumerated exhaustively:

   1. Killing members of the group;

   2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;

   3. Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;

   4. Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;

   5. Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Hallmarks of Genocide at the Siege of El-Fasher

Trigger warning ahead: killing, rape, torture, etc. 

The UN Mission found that the siege of El-Fasher was consistent with at least three of the physical crimes of genocide. The report also notes that the mental element, the existence of specific intent to destroy the protected group in whole or in part, can “not only be ascertained through direct statements by perpetrators, it may also be inferred from the body of evidence as a whole” (United Nations). 

1. Mass killings

Survivors consistently spoke of widespread, mass killings, including indiscriminate shootings and point-blank executions of civilians in homes, streets, open areas, or while they attempted to flee the city. The RSF also conducted mass killings at exit points leading to areas not controlled by the RSF, separating men and women/children, while beating, detaining, or executing them. The report notes that while men were the primary targets for these exit killings, women and children were not spared.

The RSF constructed earthen berms and trenches, raised embankments and ditches, to further cut off the people in El-Fasher from the outside. These berms also became targets for mass, indiscriminate killings. The RSF “opened fire indiscriminately on those attempting to flee, killing those who could not get out of the berms or move away quickly” (United Nations). The RSFs also documented themselves killing people at the berms, recording and circulating videos of the violence. They can be seen chanting ethnic and religious slogans, accusing individuals of being “Falangai/Falangayat” or “Abolda”, derogatory slurs aimed at the victims’ perceived ethnic identity and political affiliation. 

Universities and hospitals were also not spared from violence. Thousands of people, mostly civilians, sought refuge at El-Fasher University, which was then deliberately targeted by the RSF using shelling and drone strikes, killing many. On October 26, 2025, before the SAF withdrew from the university, they informed civilians that they were no longer able to protect them and advised them to leave. The report notes, “what ensued made El-Fasher University one of the bloodiest execution sites in the city” (United Nations). The RSF had surrounded the campus, killing civilians attempting to leave and trapping the rest inside university buildings. Verified videos and survivor accounts confirm large numbers of bodies inside the main university building, as well as around the campus. El-Saudi Hospital was also targeted by the RSF. The hospital received heavy shelling before it was stormed by the RSF. Medical professionals, patients, women, and children were all victims of this violence. An estimated 460 people were killed inside the hospital.

2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm 

During the siege and its aftermath, there were “widespread, systematic, and coordinated acts of sexual violence primarily targeting women and girls from non Arab communities, particularly the Zaghawa” (United Nations). Girls as young as 7 and as old as 70 were subjected to sexual and gender-based violence at the hands of the RSF, “including acts of killings, whipping, beatings, humiliation, forced nudity, and sexual harassment while looting of their belongings” (United Nations). 

Survivors of the violence also reported the abduction of women and girls by the RSF. Victims, often minors, were restrained and taken to unknown locations. The report notes that more investigation by the Mission may lead to the discovery of a pattern of exploitation and enforced disappearances.

“The violence demonstrated a dual ethnic and gender dimension. By killing or removing men and systematically assaulting women and girls, the Rapid Support Forces attacked the very fabric of the group, undermining its survival. Evidence shows that women and girls were not victims of opportunistic violence but were directly targeted as part of a broader campaign of terror and collective punishment against their community” (United Nations Human Rights Council Report on Sudan: Hallmarks of Genocide in El-Fasher).

3. Conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction

The RSF deliberately cut off civilians in El-Fasher, particularly non-Arab communities like the Zaghawa and the Fur, from basic needs. The population was deprived of food, water, medical care, housing, and basic services, “dismantling the material foundations of their survival” (United Nations).  Access to a variety of human rights was halted by the siege. Schools could not operate, starvation ran rampant, and civilians were forced to flee their homes. Sick or injured people could not access medical care, movement was restricted, and humanitarian efforts were blocked, exacerbating already critical levels of suffering. The Mission argues, “taken together, these deliberate acts imposed conditions of life incompatible with the continued existence of the targeted communities, particularly the Zaghawa and the Fur, and were calculated to bring about their physical destruction, in whole or in part.” 

The United Nations found the RSF committed serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, which amount to international crimes. While individual acts are considered war crimes and/or crimes against humanity, “the consolidation, scale, systematic nature, and cumulative effects (of the actions of the RSF) may indicate a path to genocide” (United Nations). 

United Nations Recommendations and International Response

The Mission calls on the international community to:

1. Protect civilians and prevent further atrocities by enforcing and expanding the arms embargo, cutting off support to actors inciting violence, and using diplomatic, political, and preventative tools to stop mass violence.

2. Ensure humanitarian access into El-Fasher and guarantee civilians’ freedom of movement.

3. Ensure accountability and deter future crimes through targeted sanctions, full cooperation with the International Criminal Court, expansion of its jurisdiction, and consideration of a judicial mechanism working with the Court to hold perpetrators accountable and ensure justice for all victims.

4. Support survivors with reparations and continued access to medical, psychosocial, and legal services.

5. Document violations and preserve evidence, including access for investigative bodies, including the Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan, into El-Fasher to gather evidence and determine the fate of missing and detained people.

6. Protect at-risk groups, such as lawyers, human rights defenders, humanitarian workers, medical workers, journalists, and civil society actors.

7. Integrate a comprehensive transitional justice approach, ensuring a peace process reflects the Sudanese people’s aspirations for justice, stability, and prosperity.

The international community has responded to the United Nations report. On December 12, 2025, the United Kingdom placed sanctions on several people, including Elfateh Abdullah Idris Adam (Idris), also known as “Abu Lulu,” “a RSF brigadier general who filmed himself in El-Fasher killing unarmed civilians and bragging about killing thousands.” Gedo Hamdan Ahmed Mohamed (Gedo), also known as “Abu Shok,” has been sanctioned. He is an RSF major general who has served as the commander for North Darfur since 2021. Tijani Ibrahim Moussa Mohamed (Tijani), known as “Al Zeir Salem,” is also an RSF field commander and has been included amongst those who have been sanctioned (US Treasury). On January 29, 2026, and February 19, 2026, the European Union and the United States followed suit, sanctioning the three commanders. The Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, also called for a ceasefire in Sudan: “The United States calls on the Rapid Support Forces to commit to a humanitarian ceasefire immediately. We will not tolerate this ongoing campaign of terror and senseless killing in Sudan” (US Treasury). Several UN agencies have created in-depth Response Plans for Sudan, including a Sudan Regional Refugee Response Plan, UN Migration Response Plan, and the Sudan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan. 

Without the cooperation and support of the international community, the people of Sudan will continue to suffer. The recent recognition of indicators of genocide in the siege of El-Fasher is the most recent in a string of calculated, brutal attacks by the RSF on the country of Sudan and non-Arab ethnic groups in the State. The recommendations of the United Nations Mission must not be taken lightly. They must be pursued to prevent more genocidal acts from being committed within Sudan’s borders. 

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Glossary

• Ceasefire: a temporary suspension of fighting, typically one during which peace talks take place; a truce

• Darfur war: a prolonged conflict that began in 2003 in the Darfur region of western Sudan. It was primarily fought between the Sudanese government and various rebel groups

• Derogations: an exemption from or relaxation of a rule or law:

• Earthen berm: a raised embankment or mound made primarily from compacted soil or earth materials

• Encirclement tactic: military strategies aimed at isolating and compelling the surrender of an enemy force by surrounding it.

• Enforced disappearance: secret abduction or imprisonment of a person by state agents or individuals acting with state consent, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the person's fate or whereabouts, effectively placing them outside the protection of the law

• Ethnic cleansing: the mass expulsion or killing of members of one ethnic or religious group in an area by those of another: 

• Exploitation: the action or fact of treating someone unfairly in order to benefit from their work

• Genocide: the deliberate and systematic killing or persecution of a large number of people from a particular national or ethnic group with the aim of destroying that nation or group

• Humanitarian needs: the essential requirements of individuals and communities to survive, maintain basic well-being, and recover during and after crises.

• Insurrection: a violent uprising against an authority or government

• International Criminal Court: a permanent judicial body established by the Rome Statute in 1998, located in The Hague, Netherlands. It is designed to investigate, prosecute, and try individuals accused of serious international crimes, including genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

• Janjaweed militias: an Arab militia group primarily active in the Darfur region of Sudan during the early 2000s. 

• Malnutrition: lack of proper nutrition, caused by not having enough to eat, not eating enough of the right things, or being unable to use the food that one does eat:

• Military coup: The sudden overthrow of a government by a usually small group of persons in or previously in positions of authority.

• Paramilitary: (of an unofficial force) organized similarly to a military force:

• Rapid Support Forces (RSF): a paramilitary force in Sudan, originally formed in 2013

• Sanctions: punitive measures imposed by governments or international bodies to restrict an individual's rights or activities, often due to violations of laws or norms

• Sexual violence: sexual activity when consent is not obtained or freely given

• Shelling: bombardment with shells

• Siege: a military operation in which enemy forces surround a town or building, cutting off essential supplies, with the aim of compelling the surrender of those inside:

• Starvation: suffering or death caused by hunger:

• Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF): the military forces of the Republic of Sudan, comprising the Sudanese Army, Navy, and Air Force.

• Systematic: done or acting according to a fixed plan or system; methodical:

• Trench: ditch 

• Transitional justice: the processes and mechanisms societies use to address past human rights violations, ensure accountability, and promote reconciliation

• Truce: an agreement between enemies or opponents to stop fighting or arguing for a certain time:

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Sources

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