Aya Ibrahim

Sudan - Horrific scenes, with bodies still scattered along roads and in farmlands, and videos circulating on social media showing RSF members gleefully killing women in the city of El Fasher, North Darfur State, western Sudan, have sparked outrage. This comes amid renewed calls to combat violence against women.

Ghada Othman, an official with the Council of Culture and Information, expressed deep sorrow over the grave violations committed by the RSF against women in El Fasher - including killing, torture, and displacement. Overcome with tears, she spoke of the distressing images and videos circulating on social media that document the suffering and tragedy endured by women there.

She condemned the RSF’s actions, demanding the harshest punishment for those responsible. “We are in deep pain for what happened. I cannot bear to watch what the women of El Fasher went through - it is unbearably difficult. I wish I could help,” she said. Othman emphasized the widespread empathy for the women of Darfur, affirming that everyone stands with them and shares their pain, expressing hope that the conflict will soon end and peace will return to Sudan.

During the RSF’s storming of El Fasher, several prominent female figures were killed or went missing, among them the war correspondent Asia Khalifa, whose fate remains unknown amid conflicting reports of her death and disappearance. She was known for her bravery in covering battles from inside El Fasher since the RSF imposed a siege on the city in May 2024. Also killed was former MP Siham Hassan Hasb Allah, the youngest parliamentarian in Sudan’s history, known for her activism in women’s and youth issues.

 

“These Violations Cannot Be Justified”

Rawaa Barbarawi, director of the Human Resources Training Center, also condemned the RSF’s violations against women in El Fasher, describing them as “a crime against all humanity,” and stating that their brutality surpasses what other societies have ever witnessed. “We are in unbearable pain,” she said with deep sorrow, questioning the motives behind such barbaric acts. She affirmed that what happened can neither be justified nor ignored and that it represents a stain on the conscience of humanity.

She called on the international community to take urgent action, to view what is happening in El Fasher through a humanitarian lens, to assess the situation of affected women and families, and to investigate the violations committed by the RSF. “There is endless pain and continuous trauma. The human mind cannot comprehend it - we find ourselves fleeing from reality because it’s too painful,” she added.

Barbarawi stressed that while those who were killed have departed, the survivors continue to live with unbearable psychological wounds that cannot easily heal. She emphasized the urgent need for psychological and social support for the victims, noting that the scale of the crisis exceeds expectations and requires combined local and international efforts to alleviate the suffering and restore human dignity.

Since the RSF took control of El Fasher, international and UN organizations have accused it of committing massacres and violations against civilians - including arrests, forced displacement, and summary executions - during its assault on the city, which it had besieged for more than a year. Several Arab countries have also condemned the atrocities committed during the RSF’s attack and called for an immediate humanitarian truce.

 

 

“Classify Them as a Terrorist Group”

Amina Mohammed, an official with the Popular Resistance, also condemned the violations committed by the RSF against women in El Fasher, North Darfur, since its capture of the city. She affirmed that the resilience of women there reflects the strength and dignity of Darfuri women, who have given an extraordinary example of patriotism and steadfastness in the face of adversity.

 

She stressed that the acts of killing, rape, and displacement in El Fasher are alien to Sudanese values and morals. “What happened to women is unprecedented in the world. The international community’s condemnation of these crimes reflects their horrific nature,” she said, urging swift international action to ensure justice for victims and accountability for perpetrators.

Mohammed added that RSF fighters have been sharing photos and videos of their abuse of women, aiming to break their spirit. She called on the international community to classify the RSF as a terrorist organization and to ensure it has no place in Sudan. “The women of Darfur have become a symbol of Sudan for all they have endured of brutal violations,” she said.

According to reports from El Fasher, the RSF has launched a campaign of terror in the city, committing large-scale atrocities, including the execution of more than 2,000 civilians. Satellite imagery has confirmed multiple violations. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that at least three female journalists were raped by RSF members, and 13 journalists - men and women - have gone missing in El Fasher, North Darfur.