Human Rights Watch has documented systematic targeting, abuse, and killings of people with disabilities by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during and after their takeover of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, on October 26, 2025. Survivors and witnesses reported that RSF fighters singled out people because of physical or cognitive disabilities, accused them of being injured combatants, mocked them as “insane,” and subjected them to beatings, harassment, and summary execution. Such acts, when directed at civilians, constitute war crimes and may amount to crimes against humanity.
Interviews conducted between December 2025 and February 2026 with 22 survivors, witnesses, and eight disability rights activists revealed that people with disabilities faced extraordinary difficulties escaping the city. Many were attacked while fleeing, abandoned, or separated from their families. RSF fighters reportedly looted fleeing civilians, confiscating personal belongings and assistive devices such as wheelchairs and hearing aids, further limiting mobility and survival.
Survivors described harrowing experiences, including being detained for ransom, being accused of affiliation with armed groups because of their disabilities or ethnic backgrounds, and witnessing the execution of children and adults with physical and cognitive impairments. Women and girls were particularly vulnerable, with reports of abduction, sexual violence, and ransom demands. Many who escaped to displacement camps in Tawila faced additional hardships, including lack of accessible facilities, absence of assistive devices, and limited medical and psychosocial support.
International law obliges parties to armed conflict to distinguish civilians from combatants and protect vulnerable populations, including people with disabilities. Sudan has ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which mandates protection of people with disabilities in situations of risk, including armed conflict. Human Rights Watch called on the UN Security Council and African Union to take urgent action, including sanctions against RSF leadership, deployment of civilian protection missions, and ensuring that humanitarian aid is inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities.
The testimonies highlight a pattern of targeted abuse that is unprecedented in scale, emphasizing the urgent need for accountability and protective measures. Survivors continue to struggle with physical and psychological trauma, lack of mobility aids, and inadequate access to essential services, underscoring the profound vulnerability of people with disabilities in conflict-affected areas of Sudan.
