RSF Detains 6,500 in El Geneina, Sudan: Report Details Mass Detentions

• The Sudanese Doctors Network reported on October 15, 2026, that the Rapid Support Forces are detaining over 6,500 individuals in El Geneina, West Darfur.
• Among the detainees are 709 women and approximately 500 children under the age of eighteen.
• Detention sites include the former UNAMID mission headquarters, the 15th Infantry Division headquarters, and Ardamata prison.
• Many women detainees were initially captured in El Fasher after the RSF took control in October 2025 and were subsequently transferred to El Geneina.
• The network expressed serious concerns about food shortages and deteriorating health conditions within these detention facilities.

The mass detention of civilians, particularly women and children, coupled with allegations of war crimes and genocide in Darfur, points to potential grave breaches of international law.

The Sudanese Doctors Network issued a report on October 15, 2026, revealing that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are holding more than 6,500 individuals in El Geneina, located in Sudan's West Darfur state. This significant number of detainees includes both military personnel and a large civilian population. Specifically, the network's documented information indicates that 709 women and approximately 500 children under the age of eighteen are among those currently held.

According to the report, these individuals are being detained across several locations within El Geneina. These sites include the former headquarters of the UNAMID mission, the 15th Infantry Division headquarters, and the notorious Ardamata prison. The findings underscore a critical situation for the thousands of people, particularly vulnerable civilians, caught in the ongoing conflict.

The RSF has maintained control over much of West Darfur state since November 2023, a period marked by extensive conflict and severe human rights violations. During their military operations against the Sudanese army in El Geneina, the Rapid Support Forces, along with their allied Arab militias, have been accused of committing grave atrocities. These alleged acts include war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and genocide, which have impacted thousands of civilians, primarily members of the African-descended Masalit ethnic group.

Further details from the Sudanese Doctors Network indicate a broader pattern of mass detentions. Many of the women currently held in El Geneina were reportedly first apprehended in El Fasher after the RSF seized control of that city in October 2025. Following the capture of El Fasher, thousands of residents, including women and children, were arrested, with some subsequently transferred to Nyala in South Darfur state, highlighting the widespread nature of these detentions by the Rapid Support Forces in West Darfur.

The information compiled by the Sudanese Doctors Network points to a dire humanitarian situation within the detention facilities in El Geneina. The network has expressed profound concern over reports of severe food shortages and a drastic decline in health conditions affecting the thousands of individuals held by the Rapid Support Forces. Such circumstances raise serious questions regarding the RSF's adherence to fundamental principles of international humanitarian law in Sudan.

The mass detention of civilians, particularly women and children, coupled with allegations of war crimes and genocide in Darfur, points to potential grave breaches of international law. The documented RSF human rights violations in Darfur, including the reported conditions at sites like El Geneina's Ardamata prison, demand urgent international scrutiny and accountability. The systematic nature of these detentions and the reported lack of basic necessities for detainees highlight a severe disregard for the protection of non-combatants in conflict zones, posing significant challenges for international legal frameworks.

Lawyers and compliance officers should note the documented mass detention of civilians, including women and children, by the Rapid Support Forces in El Geneina, which signals potential grave breaches of international humanitarian law and war crimes. This information is critical for documenting abuses, assessing accountability risks, and advising clients on the severe human rights situation in conflict-affected areas of Sudan.

Source: Original reporting via Sudanese Doctors Network