More than 60,000 flee Sudanese city after its capture by RSF militia
More than 60,000 people have fled the Sudanese town of El-Fasher, which was captured by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the weekend, according to the United Nations refugee agency.
There were reports of mass executions and crimes against humanity as RSF fighters stormed the city after an 18-month siege marked by famine and heavy bombardment.
The flow of people fleeing violence to the town of Tawila, about 80 km west of El Fasher, has increased in recent days, UNHCR’s Eujin Byun told the BBC.
They told horrific stories of atrocities, including rape, and the agency struggled to find enough shelter and food for them, she said.
Every child suffers from malnutrition, she added.
More than 150,000 people are estimated to remain trapped in El-Fasher, which was the army’s last stronghold in the western Darfur region.
RSF denied widespread allegations that the killings in El-Fasher were ethnically motivated and followed a trend of Arab paramilitaries targeting non-Arab populations.
But RSF arrested one of its militiamen, Abu Lulu, accused of summary executions.
The group shared footage showing the fighter’s arrest after BBC Verify identified him as responsible for the execution of several unarmed men near El Fasher.
TikTok confirmed to the BBC that it had banned the account associated with Lulu. It is unclear whether he controlled the account in his name.
Sudan was plunged into civil war in April 2023 after a bitter power struggle erupted between its army and the RSF.
This led to famine and allegations of genocide in the western region of Darfur.
More than 150,000 people have died in conflict across the country and around 12 million have fled their homes in what the UN has called the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
The capture of El-Fasher reinforces the country’s geographic division, with the RSF now controlling western Sudan and much of neighboring Kordofan to the south, and the army holding the capital, Khartoum, as well as central and eastern regions along the Red Sea.
The two warring rivals were allies — coming to power together in a 2021 coup — but have fallen out over an internationally-backed plan to move toward civilian rule.
Additional reporting by Merlyn Thomas
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