Sudan’s Darfur region has been plunged into a new wave of horror, as paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) unleashed deadly violence on civilians, killing at least 13 people—most of them women and children—on a road between el-Fasher and Tweila this past Sunday, August 24, 2025. The attack, described by the Sudan Doctors Network as ethnically motivated, is only the latest in a string of atrocities that have left the world reeling and humanitarian agencies scrambling to respond.
According to the Sudan Doctors Network, the victims included five children, four women, and four older adults. The group characterized the incident as “another episode in the ongoing campaign of ethnic cleansing and genocide being perpetrated by the RSF against unarmed civilians in Darfur.” The organization, comprised of medical professionals tracking the civil war’s toll, has become a critical source of information as the conflict grinds on.
Just a day before the road attack, on Saturday, August 23, the RSF shelled a hospital in the besieged city of el-Fasher, wounding a healthcare worker and six patients, among them a child and a pregnant woman. The hospital, already struggling to provide care amid shortages and violence, is now facing even greater challenges as medical workers risk their lives to treat the wounded.
The RSF, which did not immediately respond to media requests for comment on either the killings or the hospital shelling, has been attempting to seize control of el-Fasher, the last major stronghold of the Sudanese military in Darfur. The city, home to hundreds of thousands, has endured more than a year of bombing and, as of last month, a total blockade imposed by the RSF. This siege has cut off essential supplies, leaving residents to face severe shortages of food, water, and medicine.
The United Nations human rights office confirmed on Friday, August 22, that at least 89 people were killed in a 10-day span of attacks by the RSF in el-Fasher and the adjacent Abu Shouk displacement camp. The UN’s spokesman, Jeremy Laurence, told reporters in Geneva that the actual number of casualties is likely higher. “We are particularly horrified that among the most recent spate of civilian killings, 16 appear to have been cases of summary executions,” Laurence said. “Such attacks are unacceptable and must cease immediately.”
Laurence added, “This pattern of attacks on civilians and willful killings, which are serious violations of international humanitarian law, deepens our concerns about ethnically-motivated violence.” The UN’s documentation of summary executions and mass killings underscores the gravity of the situation, as international observers warn of mounting evidence that war crimes and crimes against humanity are taking place.
El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, has been under siege since May 2025, as the RSF seeks to consolidate its grip on the region. The city’s strategic importance has made it a focal point in Sudan’s ongoing civil war, which erupted in April 2023 following a power struggle between army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The conflict has since spiraled into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with tens of thousands killed and over 14 million people displaced from their homes.
The International Criminal Court is actively investigating the conflict, focusing on atrocities such as mass killings and rape. These acts, which have become tragically commonplace in Darfur, are being scrutinized as potential war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Sudan Doctors Network and other local organizations continue to document evidence, hoping that justice will one day be served for the countless victims.
The violence has not only claimed lives directly but has also triggered a severe humanitarian and public health crisis. The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm over conditions in el-Fasher, citing active conflict, blockade, and mass displacement as drivers of a dire situation. WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier reported that civilians are facing acute food shortages, rising malnutrition deaths, and severely limited access to healthcare. “A large cholera outbreak is ongoing across Darfur state and has hit communities and displacement sites, adding pressure to already fragile services,” Lindmeier said.
The numbers are staggering: all 18 states in Sudan are now reporting cholera, with 48,768 cases and 1,094 deaths recorded through August 11, 2025. Cholera, an acute intestinal infection spread through contaminated food and water, can kill within hours if left untreated. The collapse of infrastructure and the RSF’s blockade have made it nearly impossible for many to access the treatment they desperately need.
The devastation in Darfur is only one facet of a broader catastrophe engulfing Sudan. Since the outbreak of civil war, the country has seen its social fabric torn apart, its economy shattered, and its people pushed to the brink. The fighting has not only killed tens of thousands but has also driven millions from their homes, creating one of the world’s largest displacement crises. Famine conditions now threaten large swathes of the population, compounding the misery wrought by violence and disease.
International aid agencies are struggling to reach those in need, as insecurity and blockades hamper relief efforts. The blockade of el-Fasher, in particular, has drawn widespread condemnation. Humanitarian corridors remain closed, and residents report that even basic necessities are running out. Children, the elderly, and the sick are bearing the brunt of the shortages, with many forced to go without food or medicine for days at a time.
The RSF’s campaign has been marked by a chilling regularity of violence against civilians. The Sudan Doctors Network’s characterization of the recent road attack as “ethnic cleansing and genocide” echoes warnings from international observers who see a disturbing pattern in the RSF’s actions. The UN’s documentation of summary executions and the targeting of displacement camps add to the mounting evidence of systematic abuses.
Despite repeated calls from the United Nations and other international bodies for an immediate end to hostilities, the violence shows no sign of abating. The Sudanese government, led by Gen. Burhan, and the RSF, under Daglo, remain locked in a deadly struggle for power, with civilians caught in the crossfire. The international community faces mounting pressure to act, but meaningful intervention has so far proved elusive.
For the people of Darfur, the future remains uncertain. As the world watches, the region endures yet another chapter of suffering and loss. The hope for peace—and for justice—rests on the ability of the international community to hold perpetrators accountable and to deliver the aid that so many desperately need.
In the midst of relentless violence and humanitarian catastrophe, the people of Darfur continue to persevere, their resilience a quiet testament to the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.
