Deep Dive: Rapid Support Forces Execute and Abuse People with Disabilities During El Fasher Takeover in North Darfur

North Darfur, part of Sudan's Darfur region, has been a hotspot of conflict since the early 2000s, when ethnic tensions and resource disputes escalated into widespread violence involving government-backed militias and rebel groups. The current phase intensified in April 2023 with clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary force evolved from the Janjaweed militias, over control of power and resources in Khartoum and beyond. El Fasher, the last major SAF-held stronghold in Darfur, represents a strategic prize due to its position as the capital of North Darfur state and a hub for humanitarian aid distribution amid famine risks. The RSF's actions in targeting people with disabilities during their takeover of El Fasher underscore a pattern of selective violence against vulnerable populations, a tactic seen in asymmetric warfare to demoralize opponents and assert dominance. From a geopolitical lens, this fits into the broader power struggle where RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti) seeks to consolidate control, backed by interests from the UAE and possibly Wagner Group remnants, while SAF aligns with Egypt and conservative Gulf states. Regional intelligence reveals Darfur's tribal dynamics—Zaghawa, Fur, and Arab groups—exacerbate divisions, with RSF drawing from nomadic Arab militias historically marginalized yet empowered by gold trade and foreign patrons. Cross-border implications ripple through Chad, hosting over 500,000 Darfuri refugees, and the Central African Republic, where RSF incursions fuel instability. Humanitarian corridors are disrupted, affecting UN agencies like UNHCR and WFP, while migration pressures mount on Libya's routes to Europe. Internationally, this tests the efficacy of sanctions on RSF enablers and the AU-UN hybrid mission's revival prospects. The event signals escalating brutality, potentially drawing in more actors like Eritrea, complicating peace talks in Jeddah or Geneva. Looking ahead, without swift intervention, El Fasher's fall could precipitate ethnic cleansing redux, displacing millions and worsening Sudan's split into SAF and RSF fiefdoms. Stakeholders include IGAD mediators, US and EU diplomats pushing ceasefires, and China protecting its investments. Nuance lies in RSF's portrayal as anti-elite reformers versus their record of atrocities, mirroring SAF's own abuses, rendering neutral arbitration elusive.