Sudanese officials condemn alleged atrocities in North Darfur, reject UAE role in peace talks, and urge global action

Sudan has issued a powerful rebuke against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accusing the powerful paramilitary group of committing war crimes in the war-torn region of North Darfur. As the humanitarian crisis intensifies in el-Fasher, the regional capital captured by RSF after an 18-month siege, harrowing testimonies from survivors are shedding light on mass killings, rape, and other alleged atrocities.

Sudan Calls for International Action, Rejects UAE Mediation

In a blunt and urgent appeal, Sudan’s ambassador to Egypt, Imadeldin Mustafa Adawi, denounced the RSF’s actions as massacres amounting to genocide and called for international intervention. Speaking at a press briefing in Cairo, Adawi accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of backing the RSF with funds and weaponry—a claim the UAE has categorically denied.

“The government of Sudan is calling on the international community to act immediately and effectively rather than just make statements of condemnation,” Adawi stated, urging global actors to officially label the RSF as a terrorist organization.

Further deepening geopolitical tensions, Adawi warned that Sudan would refuse to take part in any peace negotiations organized by the US, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE if the latter remains involved. “We do not consider them as mediators and someone reliable on the issue,” he stressed.

Gruesome Reports Emerge from El-Fasher After RSF Takeover

The fierce fighting in el-Fasher, Sudan’s last government stronghold in North Darfur, has resulted in an estimated 2,000 civilian deaths—though many fear the true toll could be far higher. Since the city fell to RSF forces in late October, thousands have fled, while tens of thousands remain trapped without food, water, or medical care.

Survivors who have managed to escape describe a city in ruins, littered with corpses and scarred by violence.

One survivor, Adam Yahya, recounted to Al Jazeera the moment he realized his family had no choice but to abandon everything. After his wife died in an RSF drone attack, Yahya and his young children were forced to flee at night, past bodies and burning homes, to reach an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Al Dabbah.

“The streets were full of dead people. Men, women, children,” he said. “RSF fighters were shooting at anyone trying to flee. I heard one saying, ‘Kill them all, leave no one alive’.”

Another survivor, Rasha, a 45-year-old mother displaced to a camp in northern Sudan, described being sexually assaulted by RSF fighters while searching for her missing sons. “They forced me into a house and started assaulting me,” she said. “I begged them to stop. I told them I am old enough to be their mother. I just wanted to find my children.”

Her story is one of many involving allegations of systematic sexual violence by RSF forces in el-Fasher, fueling calls for an international investigation.

Aid Groups Warn of Humanitarian Disaster, Communications Blackout

Humanitarian agencies are struggling to account for the tens of thousands of civilians who fled el-Fasher in recent weeks. Many are believed to be stranded in remote villages, without food, clean water, or shelter, and out of reach of aid workers due to ongoing insecurity.

“There is a complete blackout in terms of information coming out of el-Fasher,” Caroline Bouvard of Solidarites International told reporters, adding that around 15,000 people are believed stuck along dangerous escape routes outside the city.

Regional and international organizations, including the United Nations, have called for immediate humanitarian access and protection of civilians. However, as the conflict enters its 19th month, pressure continues to mount on Sudan’s warring generals to halt the bloodshed and face accountability for alleged crimes.