In the wake of the ongoing conflict in Sudan, a wave of misinformation and harrowing reports have swept across social media and international news outlets, painting a grim picture of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Darfur and beyond. As the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) tighten their grip on key territories, including the pivotal city of El-Fasher, the world is grappling with both the reality of mass atrocities and the proliferation of misleading online narratives.
According to AFP, a viral Google Earth image that purportedly showed piles of bodies in El-Fasher has been widely debunked. The image, which circulated on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Threads, was accompanied by heart-wrenching claims and emotive responses from users around the globe. However, a closer investigation revealed that the image was neither recent nor relevant to the alleged atrocities in El-Fasher. Instead, it originated from Kumia, a town some 400 kilometers away, and dated back to March 16, 2024. Open source investigator Benjamin Strick told AFP, "A body has to be pretty big in order to leave a shadow if it's laying flat on the ground. (So it's) probably a camel line, because camels like to stand in lines, especially when they're in convoys." He further explained that the dark patches mistaken for blood were likely a mixture of manure and water, a common sight in local animal gathering areas.
This revelation comes at a time when genuine reports of violence and human rights abuses are emerging from the region. The RSF, which has been locked in a brutal struggle with Sudan's army since April 2023, captured El-Fasher in late October 2025. Their advance has been accompanied by credible accusations of mass killings, sexual violence, abductions, and widespread looting. According to The New Arab, Amnesty International has called for a war crimes investigation into a large-scale RSF attack on Zamzam refugee camp earlier in 2025. Amnesty's findings, based on interviews with 29 survivors and analysis of satellite imagery, indicate that RSF fighters "deliberately killed civilians, took hostages, pillaged and destroyed mosques, schools and health clinics" during their three-day assault on the camp. The UN reported that this attack displaced around 400,000 people in just two days, from a camp estimated to house at least half a million.
One survivor, an NGO volunteer, described the chaos to Amnesty: "The RSF's horrific and deliberate assault on desperate, hungry civilians in Zamzam camp laid bare once again its alarming disregard for human life." Amnesty Secretary General Agnes Callamard emphasized the need for international action, stating, "The only way to end these violations is to stem the flow of arms," and called for an expansion of the existing Darfur arms embargo to encompass all of Sudan. Notably, Amnesty and several UN experts have pointed to the United Arab Emirates as a key supplier of military support to the RSF, a claim that Abu Dhabi denies.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in El-Fasher and its surrounding villages continues to deepen. Ukrainian National News (UNN) and Reuters have both reported that the RSF is systematically holding residents captive for ransom. Witnesses and humanitarian workers recounted to Reuters that those whose families cannot pay the demanded sums—ranging from 5 to 60 million Sudanese pounds (approximately $1,400 to $17,000)—are either killed or severely beaten. Arrests and ransom demands have been reported not only in El-Fasher but also in a cluster of villages within an 80-kilometer radius, underscoring the widespread nature of the abuse. One former prisoner told Reuters, "They give you three or four days, and if you don't transfer the money, they kill you." He described how he and his nephew were forced to raise 10 million pounds each for their release, and witnessed nine other men being executed before their eyes.
These deeply troubling accounts have been corroborated by reports from The Hill and other outlets, which note that the RSF's campaign of terror has left tens of thousands missing amid the 2.5-year war. The group’s methods—ranging from ransom kidnappings to summary executions—have drawn international condemnation and calls for urgent intervention.
The conflict is not confined to Darfur. According to Reuters, clashes have escalated in Sudan's North Kordofan region, with residents of the capital, el-Obeid, reporting paramilitary drone strikes near army division headquarters. The RSF, emboldened by its victory in El-Fasher, has shifted focus to the oil-rich south, launching attacks on strategic locations such as el-Obeid and Babanusa. On December 2, 2025, a nursing school in Kordofan's Komo village was reportedly struck, resulting in at least 40 deaths. The Sudanese army, for its part, has denied losing ground in Babanusa and accused the RSF of continuing daily drone and artillery strikes despite a unilateral cease-fire announcement by RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
Efforts to broker peace remain at a standstill. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump pledged to seek a resolution after Saudi Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman urged American involvement. Yet, as international diplomacy falters, the violence on the ground shows no sign of abating. Both sides have been accused of indiscriminate attacks, with the RSF facing especially grave allegations of ethnically motivated killings and systematic abuses.
As the war grinds on, the cost to civilians is staggering. The wider conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced nearly 12 million people, according to Amnesty International. The destruction of critical infrastructure—including mosques, schools, and health clinics—has left survivors in desperate need of aid and protection. Satellite imagery analyzed by Amnesty reveals fresh craters across residential districts, consistent with heavy shelling and indiscriminate bombardment.
Against this backdrop of violence and displacement, the spread of misinformation on social media threatens to muddy the waters further. The case of the misrepresented Google Earth image serves as a cautionary tale; while the world’s attention is rightly fixed on the suffering in Sudan, it is crucial to distinguish fact from fiction. As AFP’s investigation demonstrates, misleading visuals can go viral and fuel confusion, even as credible evidence of atrocities demands urgent action.
With the humanitarian situation deteriorating and international efforts stalling, the fate of Sudan’s civilians hangs in the balance. Accurate reporting and vigilant fact-checking are more essential than ever to ensure that the world responds to the real horrors of the conflict—and not to the ghosts conjured by a misinformed internet.