September 19th, 2025
DWAG Strongly Condemns RSF Drone Attack on Mosque in El-Fasher: A War Crime Against Civilians
Washington, D.C.- Darfur Women’s Action Group strongly condemns the horrific genocidal drone attack carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians gathered in a mosque in the al-Daraga neighborhood of El-Fasher, North Darfur, during dawn prayers on Friday, September 19, 2025. DWAG extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the victims, survivors, and the entire community of El Fasher, who continue to endure unimaginable suffering under siege and bombardment. This strike is among the deadliest attacks on civilians in recent months in El Fasher.
According to the Sudanese Doctors’ Network and local reports, the drone strike killed at least 43 worshippers, including elderly men and youth, while injuring dozens more. Other credible sources indicate that the death toll has since risen to more than 75, including 11 children, with bodies buried inside the mosque due to shortages of burial shrouds. Civil leaders, employees, and community members are among the victims. The mosque was filled with civilians, many displaced from Abu Shouk camp, who had sought refuge in El-Fasher as the RSF advanced.
This deliberate targeting of a house of worship, during early morning prayers and filled with displaced civilians, is a gross violation of international humanitarian law. It is an act of terror that amounts to a war crime.
This attack is not an isolated tragedy; it is part of a long-standing pattern of genocidal violence in Darfur. Since 2003, over 300,000 civilians have been killed and millions displaced. Today, after millions were forced to flee, 260,000 civilians are trapped under siege in El Fasher, with devastating famine and starvation reaching catastrophic levels. Civilians, including women and children, are deliberately targeted in their homes, markets, schools, and now even in their places of worship. This attack marks a dangerous escalation, demonstrating that no place, not even mosques, is safe for Darfur’s civilians. Reports further indicate that the strike was carried out in retaliation for failed RSF military offensives, underscoring the deliberate and authoritarian nature of these atrocities.
In an effort to bring attention to the escalating violence in Darfur and the surrounding regions, and to prevent further such brutal attacks, DWAG calls on:
- The United Nations Security Council to immediately convene an emergency session to condemn this attack, call for the protection of civilians in El Fasher, and enforce humanitarian corridors to facilitate the delivery of food, medicine, and shelter.
- The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigated this attack as part of its mandate for Darfur, and to extend indictments to RSF leadership responsible for drone strikes and the targeting of religious and civilian sites.
- The African Union and regional bodies apply pressure and enforce accountability for actors enabling or facilitating such attacks.
- The international community, including the U.S., EU, and UN member states, to impose sanctions on RSF commanders, enforce an arms embargo (especially on drones or weapons used in aerial assaults), and immediately send humanitarian assistance to the besieged people of El Fasher.
DWAG stands in solidarity with the victims and survivors in El Fasher and reaffirms its commitment to fighting for justice, accountability, and the protection of civilians in Darfur and across Sudan.
With Gratitude,
Niemat Ahmadi
President, Darfur Women Action Group
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