Civil Society Statement for Peace and Justice

Civil society organizations express their outrage, sorrow, and deep anger at the massive and tragic massacre perpetrated in El-Fasher, Darfur, following the capture of the town by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

According to multiple consistent sources – local human rights organizations, independent observers, and international agencies – more than 2,000 civilians, the majority of whom were women, children, and the elderly, were summarily executed. Mass arrests, enforced disappearances, and ethnically motivated violence have been documented. The Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University and several United Nations agencies have reported acts of ethnic cleansing targeting the Fur, Zaghawa, and Barti communities.

Associated Press correspondent Fay Abuelgasim reports that the RSF are accused of carrying out ethnically motivated arrests and killings. A local human rights organization alleges that the group has detained more than a thousand civilians and executed dozens, while videos circulating on social media reportedly show mass roundups and extremely brutal killings as residents attempted to flee the city on foot.

These atrocities are reminiscent of the darkest days in Darfur in the early 2000s and constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and human rights conventions.

We, members of civil society:
• Strongly condemn the massacres, violence, and all forms of ethnic or religious persecution;

• Call for immediate humanitarian access to El-Fasher and across Darfur for relief agencies and independent organizations;

• Demand an independent international investigation, under the auspices of the International Criminal Court (ICC), to identify and bring to justice those responsible for these war crimes and crimes against humanity;

• Urge the African Union, the United Nations, and the international community to act without delay to protect civilians, support peace efforts, and end impunity;

• Express our solidarity with all victims and displaced persons, as well as with Sudanese human rights defenders who risk their lives to document the truth.

The Sudanese people deserve peace, justice, and dignity. We refuse to remain silent in the face of barbarity.

Human Rights Agency