Amnesty accuses Sudan's RSF of 'war crimes' in Darfur

PORT SUDAN - Rights group Amnesty International on Tuesday accused Sudanese paramilitaries of committing war crimes in the Darfur town of El-Fasher, and said the United Arab Emirates had "facilitated" their action.

The UAE has consistently denied backing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been fighting Sudan's regular army since April 2023.

The war pits the regular forces of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the RSF headed by his former right-hand man, Mohamed Daglo.

The RSF seized El-Fasher at the end of October, the last major city in the vast western region of Darfur that had remained outside their control.

The paramilitary group said on Monday it was declaring a unilateral three-month ceasefire.

Amnesty said it had collected testimonies from 28 survivors describing atrocities in El-Fasher ranging from the summary execution of unarmed men to the rape of girls and women.

"This persistent, widespread violence against civilians constitutes war crimes and may also constitute other crimes under international law," Amnesty chief Agnes Callamard said in a report published on Tuesday.

"All those responsible must be held accountable for their actions."

"These atrocities were facilitated by the United Arab Emirates' support for the RSF," Callamard said.

She called on the international community and the UN Security Council to " demand that the UAE disengages from supporting the RSF".

The UAE has been widely accused of supplying the RSF with weapons, manpower and fuel. Abu Dhabi consistently rejects such charges, despite evidence presented in UN reports and independent investigations.

Tuesday's Amnesty report cites one survivor from El-Fasher who said she and her 14-year-old daughter were raped by RSF fighters as they fled the city.

Her daughter became very ill when they reached the refugee town of Tawila, and died in a clinic there, the woman told the rights group.

Another survivor cited in the report said RSF forces killed people "like flies" and that none of those he saw killed was an armed soldier.

"As the conflict continues, the survivors' stories provide further proof of the failure of the international community in Sudan," Callamard said.

Mediation has so far failed to end the fighting as both sides try to secure military gains before talks are held.

On Sunday, Burhan rejected a US truce proposal from the Quad group of mediators as the "worst yet" and unacceptable.

The Quad group comprises the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

On Monday, the UAE accused Burhan of "consistently obstructive behaviour".

Later on Monday, the RSF declared a unilateral three-month ceasefire "in response to international efforts, including the initiative of US President Donald Trump and the Quad mediators".