United Nations human rights experts have accused Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing mass atrocities, including widespread killings, rape, and other forms of sexual violence against women and girls in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.

In a joint statement released on Friday, ten UN special rapporteurs said the violations documented in recent weeks indicate “a pattern of deliberate attacks” targeting civilians, warning that the RSF’s conduct may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Among the signatories were Reem Alsalem, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls; Paula Gaviria, the expert on the human rights of internally displaced persons; and Alice Jill Edwards, the Special Rapporteur on torture. The statement was published via the UN Human Rights Office’s official website.

According to the experts, RSF fighters have forcibly expelled at least 100 displaced families amid heavy gunfire in recent weeks, while elderly residents have been harassed, threatened, and assaulted. Women and girls have reportedly been subjected to sexual violence and abduction.

“The scale and severity of the violations emerging from El Fasher are shocking,” the rapporteurs said, urging immediate international action to protect civilians and ensure accountability.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 81,000 people have fled El Fasher and surrounding areas since late October, seeking refuge in overcrowded camps with little food, clean water, or medical aid.

Local sources and aid groups have described dire conditions as the RSF tightens its grip on North Darfur’s last major city outside army control. The World Food Programme (WFP) and other agencies have warned that humanitarian deliveries remain severely restricted due to ongoing fighting and road closures.

El Fasher fell under RSF control on October 26, following months of clashes with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, later acknowledged that “violations” had occurred but claimed internal committees were investigating.

The UN experts warned that the continued targeting of civilians risks triggering a “catastrophic humanitarian spiral” across Darfur.

“The atrocities unfolding in El Fasher are a stark reminder of the impunity that has long plagued Sudan’s conflict,” the experts said. “The international community must act urgently to halt the violence and ensure justice for the victims.”

Human rights organizations say the fall of El Fasher could mark a turning point in Sudan’s war, potentially deepening ethnic tensions and accelerating the country’s fragmentation.

The UN Human Rights Office, African Union, and regional mediators have all reiterated calls for both the RSF and the Sudanese army to immediately cease hostilities and allow unfettered humanitarian access to affected populations across western Sudan. (ILKHA)