Explained: Why a UN report found RSF committed genocide in Sudan’s el-Fasher

A recent UN report has concluded that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group in Sudan, committed acts that bear the "hallmarks of genocide" during their violent seizure of the city of el-Fasher in late October 2025. The investigation highlighted that the RSF's actions resulted in "three days of absolute horror," characterized by mass killings, sexual violence, and other atrocities aimed at the Zaghawa and Fur ethnic communities. The report emphasized that the scale, coordination, and public endorsement of these operations by senior RSF leadership indicated that the crimes were not random acts of war but rather systematic efforts to inflict conditions that could lead to the physical destruction of these communities. The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, escalating from long-standing tensions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. Since the onset of the war, tens of thousands of people have been killed, and approximately 13 million have been displaced. The report calls for accountability, demanding that those responsible for the violence be brought to justice. In addition to the findings regarding el-Fasher, the report also noted other recent violent incidents, including a drone strike that killed at least 15 children in a displacement camp in West Kordofan and another strike on a market that resulted in 28 fatalities in North Kordofan. These incidents further illustrate the ongoing humanitarian crisis and the severe impact of the conflict on civilians in Sudan. The UN's findings underscore the urgent need for international attention and action to address the atrocities committed during this conflict.