The massacres in Sudan are so brutal that even those who have witnessed genocide say they cannot bear to watch. Behind the neutral headlines of “internal conflict,” women and children are enduring some of the darkest violence in recent history.
The Hidden Genocide Behind the Phrase “Internal Conflict”
International narratives often describe Sudan’s war as a civil conflict. But that label conceals the truth: a campaign of mass killings, sexual violence, and forced displacement.
According to Amnesty International, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have carried out “ethnically targeted attacks, deliberate killings of civilians, and sexual violence against women and girls” across Darfur.
The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has condemned summary executions and grave human rights violations in El-Fasher, warning that “the situation has reached appalling levels.”
Geography, Strategy and Power Plays
Sudan’s geography makes it central to regional power struggles. Control of the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait — crucial trade routes linking Africa, the Gulf, and Europe — attracts competing global interests.
Recent rapprochement between Sudan and Iran unsettled both the United States and Israel, intensifying proxy tensions. Rather than direct involvement, outside powers appear to channel influence through local allies such as the RSF.
A UN experts’ report, obtained by The Guardian, detailed cargo flights from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) into Chad, believed to be supplying the RSF. The UAE has denied these claims, but evidence continues to mount.
The RSF, Massacres, and Women as Targets
The Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), evolved from the infamous Janjaweed militias. They now operate as one of Africa’s most powerful paramilitary groups.
In El-Fasher, Darfur’s capital, satellite analysis by Yale’s Humanitarian Research Lab showed patterns consistent with mass graves and widespread destruction.
Women and girls have been specifically targeted. Survivors describe being abducted, raped, and assaulted as part of a campaign to terrorize communities.
Who Benefits from Sudan’s Suffering?
Analysts say the chaos benefits powerful actors:
- U.S. and Israel, who weaken a nation aligned with the regional resistance bloc.
- Gulf states — particularly the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar — seeking to secure control over Red Sea trade routes and Sudan’s vast mineral wealth.
- The RSF, which profits through looting, gold exports, and control of territory while silencing dissent.
The Latest: El-Fasher’s Deadly Hours
In the span of just 24 hours, human rights monitors estimate that up to 2,000 civilians were killed in El-Fasher. Satellite images show large bloodstained areas and mass graves.
Between October 7 and 10, 53 civilians were killed in strikes on camps for displaced persons. Earlier, an RSF drone strike on a mosque left 75 worshippers dead, according to The Guardian.
Amnesty International called the scenes “horrifying,” urging an immediate ceasefire and international accountability.
Women’s Voices Amid the Silence
While political powers trade blame, it is Sudanese women who endure the deepest scars — losing family, homes, and bodily autonomy. Yet they remain the backbone of resistance: documenting atrocities, organizing relief networks, and protecting displaced children.
“As the world debates strategy, Sudan’s women are fighting for survival, dignity, and truth,” says a Darfuri activist. “Their voices must not disappear into the noise of geopolitics.”