The Sudanese government has strongly condemned what it described as an act of ethnic cleansing killings, cumulating into acts of terrorism and genocide, being committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in the city of Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur State.
The atrocities, which followed a long siege of the city, have drawn widespread regional and continental condemnation, prompting urgent calls for intervention, accountability, and renewed peace efforts across Sudan.
In a statement released on October 27, 2025, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Sudanese Government denounced the RSF for carrying out ethnically motivated killings and acts of systematic terror against unarmed civilians including women, children, and the elderly.
The government described the massacre in Al-Fashir as the culmination of a two-and-a-half-year siege imposed by the RSF on the city’s residents, designed to starve and isolate the population before unleashing an all-out assault. The statement further accused the militia, referred to as the Dagalo terrorist group, of deliberately filming and broadcasting their crimes “in shocking scenes proudly and shamelessly documented by the perpetrators themselves,” as proof of their “criminal nature that thrives on bloodshed and terrorism.”
The Foreign Ministry asserted that the RSF’s actions represent a grave precedent in the history of global genocides, calling the militia a “symbol of ethnic cleansing and mass extermination of innocent civilians.”
“Wherever this militia sets foot, killing, destruction, and terror follow,” the statement read.
The Sudanese government criticized what it termed the international community’s silence and lack of political will, despite repeated warnings from Khartoum. The Ministry recalled its appeals for the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2736 (2024), which called for accountability, humanitarian access, and cessation of hostilities in Sudan.
The statement accused some foreign governments of politicizing the Sudanese crisis and pursuing selfish political and economic interests, thereby emboldening the RSF to continue its campaign of terror.
“The innocent residents of Al-Fashir have become victims of the failure of international will and of the double standards that deny Sudanese citizens justice and human rights,” the statement lamented.
The government vowed that the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and other regular forces, backed by the Sudanese people, would continue to fulfil their constitutional duty to defend the nation, protect civilians, and restore peace and stability throughout the country.
In a separate statement issued on October 29, 2025, the Secretariat of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), headquartered in Bujumbura, Burundi, expressed “deep concern and condemnation” of the large-scale violence and atrocities in El-Fashir.
The ICGLR denounced the ethnically based killings, the use of mercenaries, and the deliberate targeting of civilians and aid workers by the RSF, describing such acts as “abhorrent and unacceptable.” The organization warned that the violence poses a significant threat to regional peace and security.
Reaffirming the principles adopted during the 10th Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in June 2023, the ICGLR stressed that the Sudanese crisis cannot be solved through military means but requires an inclusive political dialogue involving all national stakeholders.
“We urgently call for cessation of hostilities, the opening of humanitarian corridors, and a return to credible, inclusive dialogue without delay,” the statement urged.
The ICGLR further called on the international community to provide humanitarian and diplomatic support to Sudan and reiterated its readiness to work alongside the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), and other partners toward a negotiated and peaceful settlement.
Meanwhile, the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union convened an emergency session on October 28, 2025, in Addis Ababa, to address the escalating crisis in Sudan, particularly the atrocities committed in El-Fashir.
In its official communiqué (PSC/PR/COMM.2.1308 (2025)), the AU Council expressed alarm over the escalating violence and grave violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by the RSF. It called for an immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities, the opening of humanitarian corridors, and accountability for perpetrators of the atrocities.
The PSC reaffirmed the AU’s respect for Sudan’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity, while expressing solidarity with the people of El-Fashir who have suffered under siege since May 2024. It also condemned all forms of external interference that fuel the conflict, warning that states or entities supporting the warring parties would be held accountable.
Furthermore, the AU Council directed the Chairperson of the AU Commission to coordinate with the UN, IGAD, and other partners to ensure a unified response and to develop a civilian protection plan within three weeks. It also tasked the AU Sanctions Subcommittee, in collaboration with CISSA and AFRIPOL, to identify external actors backing the RSF and recommend appropriate measures.
The PSC underscored that there is no military solution to Sudan’s conflict and urged all sides to commit to a peaceful, inclusive political process that restores a democratically elected civilian-led government.
“The AU remains fully committed to accompanying the people of Sudan in their quest for sustainable peace, stability, and democratic governance,” the communiqué concluded.
The statements from Khartoum, Bujumbura, and Addis Ababa reflect a growing consensus across Africa that the RSF’s campaign of violence constitutes a threat to peace, stability, and humanity itself.
While the Sudanese Government prepares to confront the militia militarily, both the ICGLR and the AU emphasize the urgent need for dialogue, humanitarian access, and accountability mechanisms.
The tragedy in Al-Fashir stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of war — and the pressing need for the international community to move beyond rhetoric toward concrete, coordinated action to end Sudan’s suffering.
