The commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti, has initiated an investigation into alleged violations committed by his troops during the capture of el-Fasher. This announcement follows widespread reports of mass civilian killings in the Darfur region after the RSF seized control of the city on Sunday. The United Nations Security Council is set to convene a meeting to address the escalating crisis in Sudan, now in its third year of civil war between the army and the RSF. Hemedti expressed regret for the devastation inflicted on el-Fasher’s residents and acknowledged potential misconduct by his forces, promising a thorough inquiry by a newly arrived committee. The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed profound shock over reports that nearly 500 civilians, including patients and their companions, were executed at the city’s last functioning hospital. The RSF denies accusations that the killings were ethnically motivated, despite claims of a pattern targeting non-Arab populations. Activists are urging international pressure on the United Arab Emirates (UAE), accused of providing military support to the RSF, a charge the UAE denies. El-Fasher, the army’s final stronghold in Darfur, fell to the RSF after an 18-month siege characterized by starvation and relentless bombardment. This capture has effectively divided Sudan, with the RSF controlling most of Darfur and parts of Kordofan, while the army retains Khartoum and the central and eastern regions. The conflict stems from a fallout between the RSF and the army, former allies who seized power in a 2021 coup, over a plan to transition to civilian rule.