The United States is working with international partners to help end the conflict in Sudan, the White House said on Tuesday, following reports of mass killings and other atrocities during the fall of Al-Fashir to paramilitary forces last week.
The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured Al-Fashir, the Sudanese army’s last major stronghold in the Darfur region, in what analysts describe as a major turning point in Sudan’s 19-month civil war. The takeover effectively gives the RSF control of more than a quarter of the country’s territory.
“The United States has actively engaged in efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution to the terrible conflict in Sudan,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
On Monday, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced it was gathering evidence of alleged mass killings and sexual violence committed during and after the city’s capture.
According to the United Nations human rights office, hundreds of civilians and unarmed fighters may have been killed as RSF forces advanced into Al-Fashir. Witnesses said RSF fighters separated men from women and children before opening fire, raising fears of targeted executions.
The RSF has denied attacking civilians, claiming its operations targeted only armed opponents.
Al-Fashir’s fall has sparked renewed alarm among the international community, as Darfur — a region long associated with ethnic violence faces the threat of another wave of atrocities. Humanitarian agencies warn that tens of thousands of civilians remain trapped in the area with limited access to food, clean water, and medical supplies.
The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has displaced millions and left millions more in dire need of humanitarian aid, according to UN figures.
