Mass killings and widespread atrocities against civilians are continuing across Sudan, particularly in the war-torn Darfur region, as fierce fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies.
The fall of the key city of El Fasher to the RSF has triggered a fresh wave of ethnic killings, mass executions, and severe humanitarian suffering. Reports indicate that thousands have been killed in the aftermath of the city’s capture, while the overall death toll from the civil war, now in its second year, has surpassed 150,000. In the first half of 2025 alone, over 3,300 civilians were reportedly killed.
Sudan is now facing what aid agencies describe as the world’s largest displacement and humanitarian crisis. More than 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes, while over 30 million, more than half of the country’s population, require urgent humanitarian assistance.
Famine is spreading rapidly, and the healthcare system has all but collapsed, with more than 70 percent of hospitals destroyed or non-functional. The UN Human Rights Office and several human rights groups have documented accounts of atrocities, including gang rapes, abductions of women and children, and targeted attacks on health facilities and humanitarian workers. Both the SAF and RSF have been accused of committing war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law.
The international community faces mounting criticism for its slow and inadequate response. Diplomatic efforts have largely stalled, and global powers have been accused of fueling the war through arms supplies to rival factions, reportedly with the United Arab Emirates backing the RSF, and Egypt, Iran, and Russia supporting the SAF.
The RSF’s control now extends across all five Darfur state capitals, dividing Sudan and leaving millions trapped between warring sides. Fighting has also spread into the neighboring Kordofan region, worsening the already dire humanitarian situation.
Humanitarian organizations are urging urgent international action to protect civilians, facilitate aid delivery, and revive peace talks before the country descends further into chaos. “Without decisive global intervention,” a UN official warned, “Sudan risks becoming the world’s deadliest and most neglected conflict in recent memory.”
