Mass Exodus from El-Fasher: Survivors Share Tales of Terror

Survivors recounted harrowing experiences as Sudanese paramilitaries advanced into El-Fasher, with families seeking refuge in Tawila after over 36,000 civilians fled the city following the Rapid Support Forces’ capture of the army stronghold in Darfur. Cut off from aid for 18 months, witnesses described scenes of terror and loss, reminiscent of the early 2000s mass killings in Darfur. One survivor, Emtithal Mahmoud, shared the heart-wrenching moment she saw her cousin, Nadifa, among the dead in a video circulated by RSF accounts. Recalling the intense shelling on a Saturday morning, a survivor revealed how her 16-year-old son was killed by RSF fighters who raided their home, forcing them to flee with others from their neighborhood. Along the journey to safety, they encountered numerous dead bodies and wounded individuals abandoned due to the inability to carry them, while facing further robberies and uncertainty about the fate of young men travelling with them.