Sudan: RSF targeted the disabled in el-Fasher, HRW alleges
Deutsche Welle
February 26, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has released a harrowing report accusing Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of systematically targeting civilians with disabilities during their takeover of el-Fasher in 2023. The report highlights disturbing allegations of mass killings, rapes, and looting, focusing particularly on how disabled individuals were treated as suspects or enemies by RSF fighters. Survivors recount horrific tales of being beaten, whipped, or executed because they were assumed to be former soldiers due to their physical impairments. These actions are described as potential war crimes, marking a new scale of atrocities in Sudan's ongoing conflict.
The RSF, a paramilitary group with roots tracing back to the Janjaweed militia responsible for Darfur's ethnic cleansing in 2003, has been locked in a civil war with Sudan's military since 2023. El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur and one of the last major strongholds under non-RSF control, fell to RSF forces in October 2023. The aftermath saw mass exodus as thousands fled to nearby towns like Tawila, with reports of widespread abuse and violence. HRW's investigation reveals that disabled individuals were often targeted, with some summarily executed or forced to pay ransoms for their survival.
Survivors' testimonies paint a grim picture of life under RSF rule. A 33-year-old man who used crutches described how RSF fighters executed 10 people, mostly disabled civilians, in front of a group. Another survivor, a 31-year-old injured during the siege, recounted being beaten and accused of being an army sympathizer due to his ethnic background. A nurse interviewed by HRW described seeing a man with Down syndrome killed and his sister abducted, likely for rape or ransom. These accounts underscore the systematic nature of the violence against disabled individuals.
The report also sheds light on broader patterns of
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Originally published on Deutsche Welle on 2/26/2026