🔗 Share this article

Militiamen chuckle as they travel on the rear of a transport truck, hurrying alongside a series of multiple lifeless forms and driving in the direction of the sinking African evening sky.

"See such work. Observe this instance of mass destruction," a fighter shouts.

The fighter beams as he turns the recording device on himself and his companion combatants, their paramilitary badges on display: "They will all die this way."

The combatants are exulting in a massacre that relief organizations suspect resulted in the deaths of over thousands of civilians in the Sudan's metropolis of al-Fashir during October.

A City Isolated from the Outside

Following their control of the urban area under encirclement for almost 24 months, from August the paramilitary force proceeded to strengthen its dominance and prevent access for the remaining civilian population.

Orbital photography demonstrate that troops commenced to erect a massive earth barrier - a built-up sand barrier - encircling the edges of the city, closing roads and halting humanitarian assistance.

During the encirclement intensified, 78 people were killed in an RSF strike on a religious building on mid-September, while the international organization reported 53 more were killed in drone and artillery attacks on a refugee settlement in the autumn.

Explicit Video Reveals Defenseless Individuals Executed

In the early morning on 26 October the militia defeated the last military strongholds and seized the main base in the urban area, the command center of the Military Unit, as the government forces retreated.

Perhaps the most disturbing videos to appear and analysed revealed the consequences of a mass killing at a educational facility on the west of the city, where numerous lifeless forms were visible spread across the ground.

A senior man wearing a traditional garment was seated isolated amongst the corpses. The individual turned to look as a fighter carrying with a firearm proceeded along the stairs in the direction of him. Raising his firearm, the shooter discharged a one shot at the individual, who fell to the floor motionless.

"For what reason is this individual yet alive," another combatant exclaimed. "Execute him."

Space-based imagery captured on 26 October appeared to confirm that killings were additionally performed on the thoroughfares of al-Fashir, based on a study released by the academic research center.

One eyewitness who communicated stated the individual had witnessed "many of our kin getting executed - they were collected in a specific area and each one killed."

RSF Officers Seek to Conduct Damage Control

During the period that followed the killings, paramilitary leader conceded that his fighters had perpetrated "wrongdoings" and announced the incidents would be examined.

Among those arrested was after a analysis detailing his murders. Carefully orchestrated and modified recording published on the paramilitary's formal social media channel depict him being led into a cell at a detention facility on the perimeter of al-Fashir.

Simultaneously, the paramilitary force and associated digital profiles began trying to reframe the narrative.

Content depicting its fighters distributing supplies to civilians were shared by several accounts, while the militia's media office shared multiple recordings purporting to display the humane treatment of army detainees.

In spite of the online effort being deployed by the militia, their activities in al-Fashir have generated international outrage.