'Our Mission Consists of Solely Killing' - The Way Sudan's Brutal Fighting Force Perpetrated a Massacre
Warning: This Report Includes Graphic Descriptions of Executions.
Militiamen chuckle as they ride on the back of a transport truck, hurrying by a row of multiple corpses and driving facing the setting Sudanese sun.
"Observe all this accomplishment. Look at this mass destruction," a combatant cheers.
He beams as he points the recording device on his own face and his companion militiamen, their paramilitary badges visible: "The victims shall all die in this manner."
The combatants are rejoicing over a atrocity that humanitarian officials suspect resulted in the deaths of more than thousands of individuals in the Sudanese metropolis of el-Fasher during October.
A City Cut Off from the Outside
Following their control of the urban area under blockade for approximately 24 months, from August the militia moved to strengthen its dominance and restrict the surviving civilian population.
Orbital photography reveal that forces began to erect a massive sand wall - a raised dirt embankment - around the edges of el-Fasher, closing entry points and blocking humanitarian assistance.
During the encirclement intensified, multiple people were murdered in an militia strike on a religious building on September 19th, while the UN stated dozens further were murdered in unmanned aircraft and heavy weapon attacks on a refugee settlement in the autumn.
Disturbing Recording Depicts Unarmed People Executed
By sunrise on late October the paramilitary force conquered the last army positions and seized the primary headquarters in the urban area, the command center of the Military Unit, as the army retreated.
Among the most disturbing videos to surface and analysed revealed the consequences of a massacre at a university building on the west of the city, where numerous lifeless forms were seen spread across the area.
A senior person dressed in a robe sat isolated amongst the victims. He looked to glance as a fighter armed with a rifle moved along the staircase facing the individual. Raising his rifle, the shooter released a one shot at the man, who collapsed to the ground still.
"For what reason is this individual even living," another fighter cried. "Shoot him."
Orbital photography taken on October 26th seemed to confirm that killings were additionally carried out on the streets of al-Fashir, based on a study released by the university analysis team.
A key observer who provided testimony reported the individual had witnessed "numerous of our relatives being executed - these individuals were assembled in a single location and each one killed."
RSF Commanders Try to Carry Out Reputation Management
During the period that came after the massacre, militia chief admitted that his forces had committed "violations" and announced the incidents would be looked into.
Part of the detained was following a investigation detailing his murders. Carefully choreographed and edited video posted on the militia's authorized Telegram platform show the individual being escorted into a prison room at a detention facility on the perimeter of the city.
Simultaneously, the paramilitary force and associated online channels commenced attempting to alter the account.
Updates showing its militiamen handing out assistance to civilians were shared by some individuals, while the paramilitary's public relations unit published multiple clips allegedly to show the compassionate handling of army prisoners of war.
Despite the social media campaign being deployed by the militia, their actions in al-Fashir have generated global outrage.