The conflict-ridden Darfur region of Sudan is once again the scene of violent ethnic clashes, mass civilian displacement, and growing fears of genocide. As brutal fighting intensifies between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and armed ethnic militias—primarily targeting non-Arab groups—the United Nations has raised an urgent red flag, warning that atrocities committed in El Fasher and surrounding regions may amount to renewed genocide.
This crisis, rooted in Sudan’s broader civil war that erupted in April 2023, is now spiraling into a targeted campaign of ethnic cleansing, particularly against the Masalit tribe and other marginalized non-Arab communities in West and North Darfur.
Latest Developments: El Fasher Under Siege
▪ Zamzam Massacre (April 2025)
On April 12, 2025, RSF fighters backed by Arab tribal militias launched a devastating attack on Zamzam IDP camp, the largest internally displaced persons site in Darfur.
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Casualties: Over 520 civilians killed, including women, children, and humanitarian workers
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Injuries: Dozens maimed or critically wounded
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Facilities destroyed: Food depots, clinics, and the sole maternity ward in the area
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Survivor account: “They burned everything, even the patients,” said a survivor, now in hiding near El Fasher.
Humanitarian Collapse: 13 Million Displaced
As of May 2025:
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Over 13 million people are displaced nationwide, making Sudan the largest internal displacement crisis in the world
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The Masalit tribe faces forced displacements, house burnings, and mass killings in West Darfur’s El Geneina and El Fasher
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The Zamzam IDP camp, which hosted over 250,000 people, is now almost completely emptied or razed.
Conflict Dynamics: Who Is Fighting Whom?
⚔️ Primary Actors:
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RSF (Rapid Support Forces): A paramilitary force formerly led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), accused of orchestrating ethnic campaigns
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Arab Tribal Militias: Aligned with RSF in many regions, armed and mobilized to seize land
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Masalit and Non-Arab Militias: Defending their territories but poorly armed and under siege
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Sudan Armed Forces (SAF): Nominally at war with RSF but largely absent from Darfur
Expert Commentary: Emmanuel Kotin, ACCT
“The horrors unfolding in Darfur represent a critical failure of global conscience and African leadership. What began as a national power struggle between the Sudanese army and RSF has metastasized into ethnic extermination,” says Emmanuel Kotin, Executive Director of the Africa Center for Counter Terrorism.
He continues:
“Without a regional security buffer, immediate ceasefire enforcement, and humanitarian air corridors, the atrocities will escalate. This is no longer just Sudan’s problem—it’s Africa’s collective shame.”
