The recent report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reveals the extent of human rights violations perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during the offensive on El Fasher, Sudan, which began on October 14, 2025. According to the findings, the actions of the RSF not only constitute war crimes but may also rise to the level of crimes against humanity. The report highlights more than 6000 killings within the first 72 hours of the attack, alongside widespread instances of rape and sexual violence targeting women and girls, particularly from ethnic minority groups. Read more details here.
The 29-page document outlines numerous crimes, including murder, indiscriminate attacks, and the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure. It also emphasizes the use of starvation and attacks on medical and humanitarian personnel as a method of warfare, as well as the torture and cruel treatment of detainees. Particularly alarming is the recruitment of children for hostilities—a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL).
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, emphasized the necessity for “credible and impartial investigations” to attribute criminal responsibility. He suggested avenues such as Sudanese courts, universal jurisdiction in third states, or proceedings before the International Criminal Court (ICC). Earlier in 2025, the ICC indicated its final preparations to issue arrest warrants for war crimes by RSF and other factions, continuing efforts initially focused on the Janjaweed militia’s atrocities during the Darfur conflict from 2003 to 2004, which later evolved into the RSF.
The OHCHR report is the culmination of interviews with over 140 victims and witnesses, substantiated by video and satellite evidence, and a field visit by Volker Türk to Sudan in early January 2026. The detailed accounts provide a grim picture of a conflict that has become one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises since erupting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF in April 2023.
Despite the international focus, some legal avenues have faced challenges. Sudan’s attempt to bring a case against the United Arab Emirates at the International Court of Justice was dismissed due to jurisdictional constraints. The complexity of the situation underscores the urgent need for international intervention to address the ongoing violence and ensure accountability for these severe violations of international law.