DNHR: El Fasher Fall Accountability Urged After One Year

• The Darfur Network for Human Rights (DNHR) marked one year since the fall of El Fasher to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 26, 2025, by calling for urgent action.
• DNHR seeks concrete steps on missing persons, survivor support, and accountability for human rights violations in El Fasher.
• Survivor testimonies from November 2025 detailed killings, detentions, and demands for money during the flight from the city.
• DNHR urged humanitarian and investigative bodies to establish missing-person referral arrangements, map survivor services, and improve evidence collection within 30, 60, and 90 days, respectively.
• A progress review on these actions, distinguishing referrals from actual assistance, is due by January 27, 2027, with civilian protection as the immediate priority.

The Darfur Network for Human Rights emphasizes that, above all, the immediate protection of civilians remains the paramount concern, highlighting the ongoing human rights violations and the urgent need for international humanitarian law specialists to note these calls for concrete action.

One year has passed since El Fasher, a key city in Sudan, fell under the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 26, 2025. This grim anniversary prompted the Darfur Network for Human Rights (DNHR) to issue an urgent appeal for concrete measures concerning missing individuals, support for those who endured the conflict, and comprehensive accountability for the atrocities committed. The organization underscored the critical importance of centering the experiences and priorities of survivors and the families actively searching for their relatives in any response, while also honoring the memory of those who perished.

In the immediate aftermath of the city's takeover, specifically in November 2025, the DNHR published harrowing testimonies from civilians who had fled El Fasher. These accounts painted a stark picture of the violence they encountered, including killings, arbitrary detentions, and demands for ransom in exchange for freedom. One survivor, identified by the pseudonym Yousef, recounted his detention while attempting to escape towards Tawila. He managed to secure his release through a payment, but observed that many others remained captive. Similarly, Fatima, who lost her husband, described fleeing with her children, only to have their belongings stolen and face severe food insecurity. Her testimony highlighted their complete reliance on external aid for survival and the persistent scarcity of food. These firsthand narratives from 2025 vividly illustrate the profound human rights violations that occurred and underscore the necessity of providing tangible assistance alongside calls for justice. Families affected by the conflict are in dire need of crucial information, access to essential care, and support to rebuild their shattered lives.

In response to the ongoing crisis and the widespread Sudan human rights violations, the Darfur Network for Human Rights has specifically urged protection organizations, humanitarian partners, investigative bodies, and donors to implement four critical actions with defined timelines. The first step, to be completed within 30 days, involves establishing clear referral arrangements for individuals missing from El Fasher. This requires family-tracing and protection organizations to designate focal points and agree on secure referral protocols with Sudanese civil society groups. Families must be provided with a straightforward method to submit information, receive acknowledgment, and understand who will follow up on their cases and how to maintain contact. Throughout this process, partners are expected to meticulously track acknowledgments and follow-up communications, ensuring the protection of personal information and transparently explaining its usage.

The second imperative, set for completion within 60 days, is the mapping of available survivor services. Health and protection partners are tasked with updating a shared directory for displaced communities from El Fasher, encompassing medical care, psychosocial support, legal aid, and family tracing. This directory should clearly identify active service providers, their referral contacts, and any access requirements. Furthermore, it must document existing barriers such as transport costs, fees, and service shortages, enabling donors to strategically allocate support to address these identified gaps. Progress in this area is to be measured by the number of completed referrals and the actual assistance received, all while safeguarding the identities of survivors.

A crucial component of the DNHR's appeal, to be addressed within 90 days, focuses on improving evidence referral mechanisms. Organizations actively documenting violations are called upon to coordinate closely with relevant investigative mechanisms to establish secure channels for submitting evidence. This coordination should cover all aspects of the conflict, including the siege, the takeover of El Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces, and subsequent attacks on fleeing civilians. Investigative teams, where their procedures permit, should acknowledge submissions, identify any gaps in the collected evidence, and clearly explain the requirements for witness protection. To minimize re-traumatization, organizations should coordinate interviews where possible, ensuring survivors understand the purpose of each interaction and have the autonomy to choose whether to participate. This systematic approach to evidence collection is vital for future Sudan conflict accountability.

Finally, a comprehensive review of progress on these actions is mandated by January 27, 2027. Protection partners and supporting donors are expected to provide an aggregate update detailing case referrals, follow-up contacts, and the extent of access to survivor services. This update must also identify any unresolved funding or access barriers. Critically, reporting must differentiate between referrals made and the actual assistance received, and it must meticulously exclude any details that could potentially expose survivors, witnesses, or their families to further harm. The Darfur Network for Human Rights emphasizes that, above all, the immediate protection of civilians remains the paramount concern, highlighting the ongoing human rights violations and the urgent need for international humanitarian law specialists to note these calls for concrete action.

Lawyers specializing in international humanitarian law or human rights should note the ongoing calls for concrete action on accountability and evidence collection for violations in El Fasher. This highlights potential future international criminal proceedings or sanctions risks, and underscores the importance of documenting abuses for justice mechanisms.

Source: Original reporting via Darfur Network for Human Rights.