Sudanese Prime Minister Calls for Designating RSF as a Terrorist Organization Amid Escalating Atrocities in Darfur: By Al Jazeera

 

Sudanese Prime Minister Calls for Designating RSF as a Terrorist Organization Amid Escalating Atrocities in Darfur

By Al Jazeera

Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris has urged the international community to officially designate the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as a terrorist organization, warning that the violence engulfing Sudan could soon destabilize the wider African region. His call comes as mounting evidence reveals a wave of atrocities committed by the RSF in the western region of Darfur.

In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday, Idris condemned the RSF as “mercenaries and rebel militias” whose crimes are “unprecedented in the history of mankind.”

“They have been condemned worldwide, but condemnation alone is not enough,” Idris declared. “What is needed now, more than ever, is to designate this group as a terrorist militia, because the threat they pose now extends far beyond Sudan — it threatens the security and stability of Africa and the entire world.”

Idris’s government is aligned with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in the ongoing civil war against the RSF.

His comments followed the RSF’s capture of El-Fasher, the last remaining stronghold of the Sudanese army in Darfur. The city’s fall ended an 18-month siege, which triggered a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in North Darfur’s capital.

According to survivors, the RSF’s takeover unleashed a campaign of mass killings, summary executions, sexual violence, and other atrocities targeting civilians. The Sudan Doctors Network reported that at least 1,500 people were killed in the first few days of the city’s fall, with analysts suggesting the true toll may be even higher.

Satellite imagery analyzed this week appeared to show mass graves being dug in and around El-Fasher. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 80,000 people have fled the city and nearby areas, while the United Nations estimates that hundreds of thousands remain trapped.

Civilians who managed to escape described harrowing experiences — armed checkpoints, extortion, abductions, and indiscriminate violence.

“We were leaving El-Fasher and it was tragic,” said Najwa, a displaced woman now living in El-Dabbah refugee camp in Sudan’s Northern State. “They took my husband and tortured him. They beat his face and body. He was covered in blood, unconscious. I don’t know if he is alive or dead.”

On Monday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced it was taking “immediate steps to preserve and collect evidence” for potential future prosecutions of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan.

While the RSF has acknowledged isolated incidents of misconduct by its forces, it has denied responsibility for widespread atrocities, claiming instead that it is “liberating” territory from military control. However, widespread footage showing abuses has forced RSF authorities to briefly arrest one of their senior commanders, Abu Lulu, who was later released on Wednesday.

The war between the RSF and SAF erupted in April 2023, when tensions between Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and RSF commander, Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, exploded into open conflict.

What began as a power struggle in Khartoum quickly evolved into a brutal intercommunal war in Darfur, pitting Arab militias aligned with the RSF against members of the Masalit ethnic group. Witnesses have described scenes of unimaginable violence and racial targeting.

After nearly two years of war, the RSF now controls most major cities in Darfur, while the army’s last holdout, El-Fasher, has fallen. Idris described the military’s withdrawal from the city as a “tactical retreat,” rejecting suggestions that it was a defeat, and expressed optimism that the army would retake the city.

He also dismissed reports by UN agencies warning of famine in Sudan, insisting that the situation, while severe, is “under control.” However, a joint report by three UN agencies on Tuesday said famine has already spread to two areas, including El-Fasher, where families are surviving on leaves, grass, and animal feed.

Across Sudan, more than 21 million people face acute food insecurity, marking the largest hunger crisis in the world today, according to the United Nations.

Statement by Alkrty, Human Rights Activist

Today, traumatized civilians remain trapped inside El Fasher, unable to leave and facing unspeakable horrors. Reports indicate that abominable atrocities — including summary executions, rape, and ethnically motivated violence — continue to take place within the city. For those who manage to flee, the ordeal is far from over; the exit routes themselves have become death corridors marked by unimaginable brutality.

At the same time, I issue a grave warning regarding the escalating situation in Kordofan. Since the fall of El Fasher, civilian casualties, widespread destruction, and mass displacement have surged dramatically. There is no indication of de-escalation — on the contrary, the facts on the ground point to clear preparations for intensified hostilities, which will only deepen the suffering of innocent civilians.

Given the catastrophic violence unfolding in El Fasher and now spreading across Kordofan, the international community — particularly those states with influence over the warring parties — must act swiftly and decisively. Failure to do so will lead to further carnage and atrocities of the kind the world has already witnessed in Darfur. The United Nations Security Council’s arms embargo is explicit: any continued provision of military support to parties committing grave human rights violations must cease immediately.

I share the deep concern expressed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, that the Janjaweed and allied militias may be committing new atrocity crimes across Darfur, Kordofan, and beyond. These acts could amount to crimes against humanity or even genocide.

I therefore urge the international community, regional organizations, and world leaders to take bold and urgent action — to protect civilians, stop the violence, and ensure accountability for those responsible for these heinous crimes.

The people of Sudan have suffered for far too long. The world must not remain silent.

 

Alkrty, Human Rights Activist

8 November 2025