PREVIEW
Growing evidence of atrocities, and the UAE’s support for the militia, hasn’t changed the dynamics of the war
The conclusions of the UN report that atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces militia in and around El Fasher bear the ‘hallmarks of genocide’ will increase pressure on the international community to treat the RSF and its leader Lt-Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo aka Hemeti with particularly severe sanctions.
In its report published on 19 February, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan said that had evidence that at least three underlying acts of genocide were committed: ‘killing members of a protected ethnic group; causing serious bodily and mental harm; and deliberately inflicting conditions of life calculated to bring about the group’s physical destruction in whole or in part.’
The RSF had El Fasher, the main city in North Darfur, under siege for more than 18 months before finally seizing control last October.
The Sudan Armed Forces, which runs the government in Khartoum, has for months been pushing for governments and international agencies to designate the RSF as a terrorist organisation, and circulating images of war crimes to journalists. That has not borne fruit yet; the European Union and Britain have sanctioned a handful of senior RSF officials, including Hemeti’s brother and several SAF allies in recent months (AC Vol 67 No 1, Undoing what remains of the nation).
The definition of ‘genocide’ ratchets up the pressure, but Hemeti still has allies in the region, notably Kenya’s President William Ruto and Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni who invited him for talks at State House in Entebbe just a day after the UN report. The United Arab Emirates remains a steadfast backer of Hemeti and the RSF – despite its deepening dispute with Saudi Arabia which, in private communications, has called on it to desist (AC Vol 66 No 23, Abu Dhabi pressures Mahamat Kaka).
Copyright © Africa Confidential 2026
https://www.africa-confidential.com
Prepared for Free Article on 24/06/2026 at 16:47. Authorized users may download, save, and print articles for their own use, but may not further disseminate these articles in their electronic form without express written permission from Africa Confidential / Asempa Limited. Contact subscriptions@africa-confidential.com.
