Brussels, 2 September 2025
For 500 agonizing days, Al Fasher has been under siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), leaving its people trapped and exposed to starvation, disease, and violence. This is only possible because of foreign involvement.
According to UNICEF, Al Fasher has become an “epicentre of child suffering”, where an estimated 260,000 civilians, including 130,000 children have been cut off from life-saving food, medical care, and basic services for over 16 months. People are denied treatment and aid as access continues to be blocked. Grave violations have been documented, involving killings, maimings, sexual violence, abductions, and child recruitment.
UAE has been providing arms and logistical support to the RSF, facilitating the siege and enabling war crimes. According to credible reports these includes deliveries of advanced weaponry and ammunition.
The recent political action at the UAE Ambassador’s residence – throwing red paint and erecting a prominent “#SaveAlFasher” sign – demonstrates public outrage and the urgency of the crisis. The red painting represents the blood spilled in Al Fasher while the world remains silent. This is part of a wider movement, not the first political action nor the last until accountability is achieved and Al Fasher’s people are free from siege.
IFRD calls for immediate action and accountability:
- End the siege now: demand the RSF lift its blockade and allow safe, sustained humanitarian access to Al Fasher
- Cease all UAE military support for paramilitary groups responsible for human rights violations
- Investigate UAE’s enabling role in war crimes and sanction all entities complicit in the RSF’s siege and atrocities
Al Fasher stands at the precarious intersection of ethnic cleansing, geopolitical manoeuvring, and global inaction. External actors like the UAE exacerbate the conflict, contributing to the further precarious treatment and violation of human rights. The 500-day siege of Al Fasher is leaving lasting scars on its people, and without urgent international action, these devastating effects will shape generations to come.
