U.S. Warns of Impending 'Large-Scale Massacre' in El-Fasher, Sudan

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has warned of an imminent "large-scale massacre in the Sudanese city of El-Fasher, a humanitarian hub in the Darfur region.

El-Fasher, which had been relatively unaffected by the fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), is now facing bombardment and clashes.

Thomas-Greenfield stated that there are credible reports of the RSF and its allied militias razing multiple villages west of El-Fasher, and the RSF is planning an imminent attack on the city, which "would be a disaster on top of a disaster." El-Fasher functions as the main humanitarian hub in the Darfur region, which is home to around a quarter of Sudan's 48 million people.

Why this matters: The impending attack on El-Fasher threatens the lives of millions of civilians and could exacerbate the already dire humanitarian crisis in the Darfur region. The situation draws parallels to the genocide that occurred in Darfur 20 years ago, highlighting the urgent need for international intervention and support.

The U.S. ambassador has urged all countries supplying weapons to Sudan's warring parties to halt arms sales, warning that the history of genocide in Darfur is "repeating itself." The United Nations political chief, Rosemary DiCarlo, told the Security Council that the year-long war in Sudan has been fueled by weapons from foreign supporters, which is illegal and immoral.

The ambassador called on the RSF and rival government forces to de-escalate the violence, protect civilians, and enable humanitarian access, especially to the millions facing famine and in desperate need of aid. The conflict in Sudan has already resulted in over 14,000 deaths, tens of thousands of injuries, looming famine, and over 8.6 million people forced to flee their homes.

The situation in El-Fasher is dire, with the city effectively cut off from humanitarian access, leaving over 330,000 people dealing with acute food insecurity. The U.N. has warned that the fighting in El-Fasher could "unleash bloody intercommunal strife throughout Darfur" and has called for civilians to be allowed safe passage out of the city.

Key Takeaways

• US warns of imminent large-scale massacre in El-Fasher, Darfur's humanitarian hub
• RSF and allied militias razing villages, planning attack on El-Fasher, a "disaster on top of a disaster"
• Situation echoes Darfur genocide, urgent need for international intervention and support
• US urges countries to halt arms sales to Sudan's warring parties, fueling the conflict
• Over 330,000 people in El-Fasher face acute food insecurity, fighting could unleash "bloody intercommunal strife"