DW documentary recounts El-Fasher massacre, 60,000 reported killed
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DW has published a documentary in which survivors of the October 2025 mass killings in El-Fasher, Darfur, recount rapes, murders, and bombardments by the Rapid Support Forces. Residents of El-Obeid, held by Sudan's military, are fleeing toward Khartoum as RSF attacks intensify and international aid remains scarce. Foreign powers, including the UAE, Egypt, Iran, and Russia, continue to back the opposing sides.
Key Facts
- The Rapid Support Forces captured El-Fasher in Darfur in October 2025 and are believed to have killed over 60,000 residents within weeks.
- Sudan's civil war, now in its fourth year, has forced millions to flee and killed hundreds of thousands, making it the world's worst humanitarian crisis.
- Residents of El-Obeid, a military-held city under increasing RSF attack, are boarding buses and trucks to Khartoum despite little hope of international aid.
- The United Arab Emirates supports the RSF, while Egypt, Iran, and Russia back the Sudanese Armed Forces with money and weapons.
- Sudan is among the countries worst affected by US President Donald Trump's foreign aid cuts.
The El-Fasher Massacre
The Rapid Support Forces captured El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, in October 2025. Militias are believed to have massacred more than 60,000 residents in the following weeks, marking one of the conflict's bloodiest chapters. Survivors who fled recount rapes, murders, bombardments, hunger, and a death march to displacement camps. Both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF have been accused of committing war crimes during the three-year civil war.
El-Obeid Under Threat
El-Obeid, a city held by Sudan's military, is coming under increasing attack by the RSF. Fears of a repeat of the bloodshed seen in El-Fasher are rising among residents. Those who can are boarding buses or trucks bound for Khartoum, despite having little hope of receiving international aid. The displacement adds to the millions of Sudanese already forced from their homes.
Foreign Backing and Aid Cuts
The RSF receives support from the United Arab Emirates, which is thought to provide fighters with military assistance. Egypt is supplying the Sudanese army with money and weapons, as are Iran and Russia. Sudan's civil war has continued for over three years, with both sides receiving external military and financial support. Sudan is among the countries worst affected by US President Donald Trump's foreign aid cuts.
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DW documentary recounts El-Fasher massacre, 60,000 reported killed
