Satellite evidence shows mass killings in El Fasher amid Sudan conflict
The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), has left over 150,000 people dead and displaced more than 14 million
The ongoing civil war in Sudan has intensified with a recent massacre in the city of El Fasher, according to analysts and humanitarian researchers, underscoring the deepening humanitarian crisis in the country.
The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), has left over 150,000 people dead and displaced more than 14 million, prompting the United Nations to describe it as the world's "largest humanitarian crisis." Parts of Sudan are now facing famine conditions. The US government formally accused the RSF of genocide in January 2025, reports The Guardian.
The El Fasher massacre followed the RSF's seizure of a key military base over a weekend, during which the paramilitary group was accused of killing more than 2,000 unarmed civilians. Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab noted the scale of violence was comparable to the first 24 hours of the Rwandan genocide.
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Reports indicate that RSF fighters killed medical staff, patients, and relatives at the city's Saudi hospital. Earlier this year, the takeover of the Zamzam displaced persons camp escalated the 18-month siege of El Fasher and triggered significant displacement.
Due to media restrictions and a communications blackout in El Fasher, satellite imagery and geospatial analysis have played a crucial role in documenting the events. Analysts and journalists have used satellite images to identify large "clusters" consistent with adult human bodies and red discoloration on the ground. One reporter said the imagery revealed "truly… a bloodbath" and noted it was the "first time I've seen satellite imagery pick up blood stains on this scale on the ground."
The Yale Humanitarian Research Lab reported evidence pointing to systematic and intentional ethnic cleansing, targeting Fur, Zaghawa, and Berti Indigenous non-Arab communities through forced displacement and summary executions. Analysts described "door-to-door clearance operations" and noted that the RSF circulates videos of its actions as a form of intimidation.
Despite global discussions and aid pledges, observers questioned the world's response. "It is maddening that the world continues to look away as war crimes are committed," the report said.
Sudan's military government has formally accused the United Arab Emirates of supplying arms to the RSF, which the UAE denies. A leaked UN report indicated multiple flights from the UAE deliberately avoided detection while transporting arms into Darfur via Chad. Analysts linked the UAE's involvement to gold trade interests in Sudan and its past relationship with the RSF dating to the 2015 Yemen war.
The prospect of a ceasefire and an end to the violence remains distant, with satellite imagery and video analysis continuing to play a critical role in documenting the conflict.
