U.N.-backed experts report that the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) “campaign of destruction” against non-Arab communities in el-Fasher shows the “hallmarks of genocide,” specifically targeting the Zaghawa and Fur ethnic groups. During a three-day massacre in October, the RSF killed over 6,000 civilians and subjected survivors to torture, sexual violence, and abductions following an 18-month siege. The fact-finding mission determined that at least three of the five international criteria for genocide were met, including the deliberate infliction of conditions calculated to bring about physical destruction. In response, the United States has sanctioned three RSF commanders, while international officials warn that this conflict has created the worst humanitarian crisis of the 21st century. The report emphasizes that these atrocities were not random acts of war but a planned operation.
Date: February 19, 2026. Source: apnews.com