International human rights groups have accused Sudan’s paramilitary forces of committing crimes against humanity during their ongoing siege of a major city in the country’s civil conflict.
According to newly released reports, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are alleged to have carried out widespread atrocities, including indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, blocking humanitarian aid, and targeting civilians attempting to flee. The city, which has been under siege for weeks, is facing acute shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.
Witnesses described harrowing conditions, with thousands trapped and unable to access essential services. Humanitarian agencies warn that the situation is rapidly deteriorating into a full-scale famine if aid corridors are not opened immediately.
The United Nations has called for an independent investigation into the alleged abuses, while Western governments have urged both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces to halt attacks on civilians and allow humanitarian access.
“Cutting off entire populations from food and medicine is not only unlawful—it is inhumane,” said one UN official. “Those responsible must be held accountable.”
The accusations mark a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the RSF, which has been locked in a brutal power struggle with Sudan’s army since April 2023. The conflict has displaced millions and sparked fears of regional instability.
Rights campaigners are pressing the International Criminal Court to open a formal case, echoing past prosecutions of atrocities committed in Sudan’s Darfur region.
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