🔗 Share this article

Militiamen laugh as they ride on the rear of a utility vehicle, racing past a series of nine corpses and heading towards the sinking Sudan's evening sky.

"Observe all this work. Look at this act of ethnic cleansing," one exclaims.

The fighter beams as he directs the recording device on his person and his companion combatants, their RSF badges visible: "The victims shall all die this way."

The men are rejoicing over a atrocity that humanitarian officials fear killed over 2,000 civilians in the African urban center of the Darfur city in recent weeks.

An Urban Center Severed from the World

Having held the urban area under blockade for almost 24 months, from August the paramilitary force advanced to reinforce its position and prevent access for the surviving civilian population.

Orbital photography show that fighters started to erect a massive berm - a elevated dirt embankment - encircling the perimeter of el-Fasher, sealing off entry points and preventing aid.

As the siege worsened, multiple individuals were slain in an paramilitary attack on a place of worship on 19 September, while the United Nations said fifty-three more were murdered in unmanned aircraft and artillery strikes on a makeshift community in fall.

Graphic Footage Shows Unarmed Civilians Executed

At dawn on October 26th the paramilitary force defeated the final government defenses and captured the main headquarters in the community, the command center of the 6th Infantry Division, as the military retreated.

One of the most horrific footage to emerge and examined revealed the aftermath of a massacre at a university building on the western side of the urban area, where scores lifeless forms were seen spread across the area.

An elderly person clad in a white tunic was seated alone amongst the corpses. The man rotated to gaze as a combatant carrying with a weapon proceeded down the stairs towards the victim. pointing his firearm, the fighter discharged a single shot at the individual, who fell to the surface still.

"Why is this individual yet living," one militiaman shouted. "Execute this one."

Orbital photography recorded on late October indicated to confirm that shootings were furthermore performed on the thoroughfares of the city, according to a study published by the university analysis team.

A key eyewitness who spoke stated they had witnessed "numerous of our kin being killed - the victims were assembled in one place and each one murdered."

Militia Leaders Attempt to Carry Out Reputation Management

During the period that followed the killings, militia commander acknowledged that his troops had carried out "violations" and announced the incidents would be investigated.

Among those detained was following a investigation documenting his executions. Deliberately choreographed and produced footage posted on the militia's official social media platform depict him being led into a detention area at a prison on the perimeter of el-Fasher.

At the same time, the RSF and connected digital accounts commenced seeking to reshape the narrative.

Posts showing its combatants providing supplies to inhabitants were disseminated by some users, while the paramilitary's communications team shared multiple clips purporting to demonstrate the humane treatment of government captives.

Regardless of the social media initiative being employed by the RSF, their actions in el-Fasher have provoked global outrage.