A United Nations investigation has concluded that the Rapid Support Forces, an armed group fighting in Sudan, committed genocide against non-Arab civilians in the city of el-Fasher. The finding was announced in a report published July 9, 2026 Al Jazeera.

In February, the same UN team had reported signs of genocide. This July report is stronger—it now says genocide definitely occurred. The investigation, led by Mohamed Chande Othman, also found that the RSF committed a war crime by deliberately starving the civilian population. During a long siege, the group blocked food supplies and destroyed farming areas Al Jazeera.

The report includes survivor accounts describing sexual violence in rooms where bodies of recently killed civilians remained. Combined with evidence that the RSF targeted a specific group—non-Arab communities—for destruction, these accounts meet the legal definition of genocide Al Jazeera.

The RSF denies the accusations, saying the accounts are false Al Jazeera. It has rejected the UN's findings since February, when a detailed report titled "Sudan: Hallmarks of Genocide in El-Fasher" was released OHCHR. The UN also said the campaign specifically targeted non-Arab communities OHCHR.

The Pattern Spreading to a New City

UN officials are warning that the same violence may be happening in another city called el-Obeid. The UN's human rights chief, Volker Türk, has said that summary executions, abductions, torture, and sexual violence have been documented in the region around el-Obeid Al Jazeera. El-Obeid has about 500,000 residents, including more than 83,000 people who fled fighting from other areas. These populations are now at risk of being trapped Al Jazeera.

The UN Human Rights Council responded by condemning the violence and opening an urgent investigation into abuses in the el-Obeid region Al Jazeera. The fact that the UN opened this investigation before officially releasing the genocide report suggests that officials expected the genocide finding and wanted oversight mechanisms in place for what they believe will be a widening crisis.

The UN has been coordinating with African Union human rights bodies for months. In April, on the three-year anniversary of the conflict, both groups issued a joint statement OHCHR. In May, they adopted a Joint Declaration on Sudan OHCHR. This collaboration suggests the international community is preparing for expanded documentation of potential crimes.

A UN fact-finding report does not have legal force on its own. It is not a court decision. Only courts—such as the International Court of Justice or the International Criminal Court—can make legally binding rulings on genocide. What the UN report does is create a detailed record that can be used in future prosecutions and can pressure the Security Council to take action. It also officially reminds countries of their legal obligation to prevent genocide.

Whether this record leads to anyone being held accountable depends on decisions that are not up to the UN. The Security Council must act. Countries that support the RSF may block action. And the direction of the war itself—now moving toward el-Obeid—matters. The finding that the RSF committed war crimes through starvation opens another avenue for future prosecution, potentially holding more people responsible if cases ever reach trial.