Sudan’s military leader, General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, visited a displacement camp on Saturday, meeting with families who fled El-Fasher after the city was seized by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
General Burhan was welcomed by displaced residents and surrounded by military personnel during the visit, which came amid growing reports of atrocities in the western Darfur region.
According to humanitarian groups, tens of thousands of Sudanese have sought refuge in overcrowded camps following the RSF’s capture of El-Fasher. The UN human rights chief has warned that many civilians remain trapped in the conflict zone and are at grave risk.
The RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces have been locked in a brutal war since April 2023, after tensions erupted over control of Africa’s third-largest country. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that at least 40,000 people have been killed, though the real number may be much higher. The conflict has also displaced around 12 million people, with nearly half of Sudan’s population now facing acute food insecurity.
Last week, the RSF took control of El-Fasher after an 18-month siege. The paramilitary group allegedly attacked the Saudi Hospital, killing more than 450 people, and carried out door-to-door assaults on civilians, including reports of sexual violence.
While the RSF has denied responsibility for the killings, survivors’ testimonies, videos shared online, and satellite imagery show widespread devastation in the city.
