Civilians fleeing the war-torn city of al-Fashir in Sudan have shared deeply distressing accounts of violence and loss following a major assault by paramilitary forces.
In a report by Reuters, survivors described how they endured days of chaos as fighting intensified between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Many escaped across the desert into neighboring Chad after the city, located in the Darfur region, fell under RSF control in late 2025 following a prolonged siege.
Thousands of people fled under extreme conditions, with some arriving at border areas injured, starving, and emotionally traumatized. Witnesses reported widespread violence, including shootings, looting, and forced detentions. Several survivors said they lost family members during the attack or along the escape routes.
One man recounted how a strike destroyed the home where he was sheltering, killing his wife. Unable to bury her, he fled while injured, navigating dangerous routes filled with armed fighters and surveillance drones. Others described walking for days without food or water, some with injured relatives struggling to keep up.
A woman who escaped with her infant said her family had already endured months of hardship during the siege, surviving on minimal resources. During their escape, she lost close relatives and witnessed violence against civilians. Another survivor shared that she later learned of her brother’s death through a video circulating online.
Several testimonies also accused specific RSF commanders of carrying out killings and abuses during the offensive. Although the RSF has stated that any wrongdoing by its members would be investigated, the group has not directly responded to the detailed allegations raised by survivors.
The United Nations has previously warned that the scale and pattern of violence in the region show signs consistent with genocide. Meanwhile, humanitarian conditions continue to worsen, with many refugees now living in camps in Chad after fleeing the conflict.