'Our Mission Involves Only Killing' - The Way The Sudanese Vicious Fighting Force Perpetrated a Massacre
Alert: This Story Presents Graphic Details of Shootings.
Fighters laugh as they travel on the back of a pick-up truck, hurrying by a row of several corpses and moving towards the setting African sunset.
"Observe this extensive work. See this act of mass destruction," a fighter exclaims.
The individual smiles as he directs the recording device on himself and his companion combatants, their paramilitary badges clearly shown: "These people are all going to be killed in this manner."
The men are celebrating a mass killing that aid workers fear resulted in the deaths of more than thousands of people in the African urban center of el-Fasher last month.
An Urban Center Isolated from the Outside
Following their control of the urban area under siege for nearly two years, from August the RSF proceeded to strengthen its position and restrict the surviving inhabitants.
Satellite images show that forces started to construct a immense earth barrier - a built-up earthen wall - surrounding the edges of al-Fashir, blocking access routes and preventing relief supplies.
During the encirclement intensified, 78 individuals were killed in an paramilitary strike on a religious building on 19 September, while the international organization said dozens additional were killed in aerial and heavy weapon strikes on a displacement camp in fall.
Graphic Recording Reveals Weaponless People Executed
By sunrise on 26 October the militia defeated the final government strongholds and seized the main compound in the urban area, the headquarters of the Military Unit, as the government forces pulled back.
Among the most disturbing footage to surface and studied depicted the aftermath of a massacre at a university building on the western side of the community, where scores lifeless forms were observed spread over the floor.
An older person clad in a traditional garment remained alone amid the victims. The man turned to glance as a militiaman armed with a weapon proceeded along the staircase facing the victim. Raising his weapon, the fighter released a single shot at the man, who fell to the surface still.
"How come is this person still alive," another combatant cried. "Kill this one."
Satellite images recorded on October 26th seemed to confirm that executions were also conducted on the roads of el-Fasher, according to a study published by the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab.
An observer who communicated said they had seen "many of our kin getting killed - they were assembled in one place and everyone eliminated."
Militia Leaders Attempt to Carry Out Public Relations
In the days that followed the atrocity, paramilitary chief conceded that his troops had perpetrated "violations" and stated the incidents would be investigated.
Included among apprehended was following a investigation recording his killings. Meticulously staged and produced video published on the militia's official messaging account show the individual being taken into a cell at a prison on the perimeter of the city.
At the same time, the militia and affiliated social media profiles began attempting to reshape the story.
Updates showing its militiamen handing out aid to civilians were circulated by various accounts, while the paramilitary's communications team published several videos purporting to show the proper management of government prisoners of war.
Despite the social media effort being employed by the RSF, their actions in el-Fasher have generated worldwide condemnation.