Amnesty International has accused Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing widespread crimes against humanity during its military campaign to seize El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, while calling on Nigeria, the African Union (AU) and the international community to intensify efforts to end the conflict in Sudan.
The allegations are contained in Amnesty International’s 208-page report, City Under Siege, Children Under Fire: Rapid Support Forces’ Crimes Against Humanity in North Darfur, which documents alleged atrocities committed between mid-2024 and late 2025 during the RSF’s offensive in El Fasher.
According to the report, the RSF carried out mass killings, torture, rape, sexual slavery, forced displacement, imprisonment and persecution based on ethnicity, describing the violations as part of a widespread and systematic attack against civilians that amounts to crimes against humanity under international law.
Amnesty International said its findings were based on an eight-month investigation involving interviews with 247 people, including 208 survivors and 39 children, as well as analysis of satellite imagery and verification of 89 videos documenting the conflict.
The organisation further alleged that the RSF deliberately targeted children, recruited child soldiers, obstructed humanitarian assistance during the siege of El Fasher and carried out ethnically motivated attacks against non-Arab communities.
It urged the international community to strengthen accountability mechanisms, support the International Criminal Court, expand the arms embargo on Sudan and increase humanitarian assistance for civilians affected by the conflict.
Speaking during the presentation of the report in Abuja on Wednesday, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Amnesty International Nigeria, Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, appealed to the Federal Government, the AU, the United Nations, ECOWAS and other international actors to take urgent action to halt the violence in Sudan.
The event, themed Sudan Solidarity and Advocacy Engagement, was organised by Amnesty International Nigeria in collaboration with Amnesty International’s East and Southern Africa Regional Office at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation.
Rafsanjani said the gathering was intended not only to unveil the report but also to amplify the voices of thousands of Sudanese civilians whose lives have been shattered by the conflict.
“We are here to reaffirm that every human life matters, regardless of geography, ethnicity or political affiliation,” he said.
He noted that the report, which was globally launched on July 1, 2026, presents evidence of grave human rights violations committed during the campaign to seize El Fasher, including deliberate attacks on civilians, unlawful killings, widespread displacement, sexual violence, destruction of civilian infrastructure and abuses that have disproportionately affected children and other vulnerable groups.
Describing the conflict as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, Rafsanjani said millions of people had been displaced, healthcare systems had collapsed across many parts of Sudan and humanitarian access remained severely restricted.
“Behind every statistic is a human story. It is a mother searching for safety, a child deprived of education, a family forced to flee their home, and communities struggling simply to survive,” he said.
He urged Nigeria to leverage its longstanding role in regional peacebuilding and diplomacy by supporting renewed international efforts aimed at restoring peace in Sudan.
Rafsanjani called for an immediate and sustained ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access to affected communities, stronger protection for civilians—particularly women and children—and credible investigations to ensure accountability for violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
He also advocated inclusive dialogue that places the interests of Sudanese civilians at the centre of all peace initiatives, warning that silence in the face of atrocities only emboldens perpetrators while delayed justice prolongs the suffering of millions.
Rafsanjani welcomed delegates from Amnesty International’s East and Southern Africa Regional Office, who travelled from Nairobi and Johannesburg for the engagement, describing their participation as a demonstration of growing collaboration among African human rights advocates.
He also commended civil society organisations, diplomatic missions, policymakers, traditional and religious leaders and media practitioners for participating in the engagement, urging them to move beyond expressions of concern and support concrete actions to end the conflict.
“The people of Sudan deserve more than our sympathy. They deserve our solidarity. They deserve justice. They deserve peace,” he said.
