Our Task Is Only Eliminating' - How Sudan's Ruthless Fighting Force Conducted a Massacre

Caution: This Story Includes Explicit Descriptions of Killings.

Fighters laugh as they travel on the rear of a pick-up truck, hurrying past a row of multiple lifeless forms and heading towards the descending African sun.

"Look at such accomplishment. Look at this act of genocide," a combatant exclaims.

He smiles as he directs the recording device on his own face and his companion combatants, their RSF insignia visible: "They will all perish like this."

The combatants are rejoicing over a massacre that aid workers suspect resulted in the deaths of in excess of thousands of people in the Sudan's city of el-Fasher during October.

A Community Cut Off from the Globe

Following their control of the urban area under encirclement for nearly two years, from late summer the RSF proceeded to reinforce its dominance and restrict the surviving residents.

Orbital photography show that troops commenced to build a immense earth barrier - a elevated earthen wall - surrounding the edges of el-Fasher, sealing off access routes and blocking relief supplies.

As the siege worsened, multiple individuals were killed in an paramilitary assault on a place of worship on mid-September, while the international organization stated dozens more were murdered in unmanned aircraft and cannon attacks on a makeshift community in October.

Disturbing Recording Reveals Unarmed Civilians Executed

By sunrise on October 26th the militia defeated the final army strongholds and took control of the main base in the community, the headquarters of the Army Division, as the army pulled back.

One of the most horrific videos to emerge and analysed depicted the results of a massacre at a campus structure on the western of the urban area, where scores lifeless forms were visible strewn over the area.

An elderly person clad in a traditional garment remained by himself amongst the bodies. He rotated to glance as a fighter carrying with a rifle walked down the staircase facing the individual. Raising his rifle, the gunman discharged a single shot at the man, who fell to the surface still.

"Why is this one still breathing," another fighter exclaimed. "Shoot this person."

Orbital photography taken on late October seemed to verify that shootings were also carried out on the roads of al-Fashir, based on a study issued by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab.

One eyewitness who communicated said he had witnessed "many of our relatives being killed - these individuals were assembled in one place and all murdered."

Paramilitary Commanders Try to Carry Out Reputation Management

In the days that followed the massacre, militia leader conceded that his fighters had committed "atrocities" and stated the incidents would be investigated.

Part of the arrested was after a report documenting his executions. Meticulously orchestrated and edited recording published on the paramilitary's formal social media account show the commander being taken into a detention area at a jail on the perimeter of el-Fasher.

At the same time, the RSF and associated online accounts began seeking to reshape the narrative.

Updates presenting its combatants handing out assistance to inhabitants were shared by several accounts, while the force's public relations unit published multiple recordings allegedly to display the compassionate treatment of military detainees.

In spite of the digital effort being employed by the militia, their conduct in el-Fasher have provoked international outrage.

Keith Simon
Keith Simon

Elena Voss is a productivity coach and software reviewer, specializing in time management tools and digital wellness strategies.