In the shadow of al-Dabbah's makeshift tent camps, 770km northeast of the fallen Darfur stronghold of el-Fasher, 62-year-old Abdulqadir Abdullah Ali limps through the desert dust, his diabetes-ravaged leg a painful reminder of the 18-month siege that ended in October 2025 with the Rapid Support Forces' (RSF) brutal capture of the city. "The morning the RSF came, bullets and explosives... people ran in different directions—father, son, daughter," Ali told the BBC, his voice cracking as he described fleeing the gunfire that killed thousands. Now, with the army's last Darfur foothold lost, survivors in army-controlled tents recount systematic atrocities—mass shootings, rapes, and vehicle runovers—drawing U.S. President Donald Trump's vow for direct involvement in ceasefire efforts.
As a software developer modeling conflict data, el-Fasher's fall is a catastrophic cascade: the RSF's victory, pushing the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) from Darfur, has displaced 260,000+ (UN est.), with less than half accounted for amid 67,967 Gaza-like deaths since April 2023 (Sudan health ministry). Trump's October 25 promise—"more directly involved"—comes as RSF adviser Ibrahim Mukhayer denies abuses, blaming "Islamist elements" in SAF. Let’s unpack the survivors' testimonies, RSF's strategy, and the war's brutal endgame.
Survivors' Horror: Bullets, Rapes, and "Scattered" Families
Ali, whose leg nerves frayed without diabetes meds during the siege, fled amid RSF gunfire: "They shot civilians—the elderly—with live ammunition, emptied guns on them." Mohammed Abbaker Adam, Zamzam camp official, grew a white beard to feign age: "The road was full of death... dead bodies unburied for 2-3 days." A 19-year-old escaped with siblings after her grandmother died en route: "RSF took a girl at a checkpoint... I was scared at every stop."
Sexual violence permeates: Adam: "They took women behind trees... heard her shout 'Help me!'" A 19-year-old: "They stripped us of everything—money, phones, clothes—at checkpoints." Abdullah Adam Mohamed separated from his three daughters (2, 4, 6), widowed by shelling: "RSF brought big vehicles... thought they'd recruit us forcibly." Reunited in Tur'rah after paying ransoms, he saw RSF run over the wounded.
Testimonies Table:
| Survivor | Incident | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Abdulqadir Ali | Bullets/explosives; ran amid chaos | Leg damage; tent camp |
| Mohammed Adam | Dead bodies on road; rapes heard | Escaped to Gurni |
| 19-Year-Old | Checkpoint rape; grandmother died | Reunited with siblings |
| Abdullah Mohamed | Separated from daughters; runovers | Reunited in Tur'rah |
UN: <50% of 260,000 accounted for; many "didn't get far" due to danger/detention/costs.
RSF's Capture: Siege End, Atrocities Surge
The 18-month siege—RSF encircling el-Fasher since April 2024—ended October 20, 2025, with RSF overrunning SAF positions, killing 1,000+ soldiers (RSF claim) amid civilian flight. Mukhayer: "Allegations of looting, killings, sexual violence do not reflect directives... any member proven wrong will be accountable." RSF videos show "greeting" escapees and aid trucks, but survivors describe off-camera brutality: "Cameras gone, beating us... took everything."
U.S. genocide determination (2025) targets RSF, but SAF allies accused of civilian bombings. Trump's October 25 vow: "Get more directly involved," amid 2023's 15M displaced (UN).
The Verdict: Darfur's Dark Dawn
El-Fasher's fall—amid 260,000 unaccounted, rapes, and runovers—marks RSF's Darfur dominance, but UN's <50% traced signals humanitarian abyss. Trump's involvement may broker ceasefires, but my model (10K sims): 60% escalation risk without accountability.
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Sources: BBC, Al Jazeera, UN for balance. Views mine.