Blood splatter from RSF massacres in Sudan visible from space

Satellite imagery appears to show large blood stains covering the ground in the Sudanese city of el-Fasher in North Darfur, amid reports of extrajudicial killings committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia.

Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) published the images on Tuesday showing dark reddish brown patches covering the ground in several areas where the RSF are reported to have shot residents.

The patches are consistent with the discolouration caused by blood drying, as well as reported movements by RSF fighters.

"At least three of the reddish instances have objects nearby measuring approximately 1.3-2.0 meters, consistent in dimension with human bodies," the HRL report says.

"Yale HRL has identified multiple credible reports of mass killings in El-Fasher across social media and open sources. There are multiple reports of civilians dying while fleeing El-Fasher, including due to wounds incurred by RSF." 

The militia stormed el-Fasher on Sunday, sparking killings and abuses that have been recorded, in many cases by RSF fighters themselves.

One video shows an RSF fighter firing a Kalashnikov-style rifle at an unarmed elderly man on the ground. 

The RSF advance came just hours after ceasefire negotiations in Washington collapsed.

🚨HUMAN SECURITY EMERGENCY🚨
El-Fasher has fallen to RSF. HRL finds evidence of mass killings including door-to-door clearance operations and objects consistent with reported bodies on berm entrapping El-Fasher.#KeepEyesOnSudan

🛰️@AirbusSpace @Maxarhttps://t.co/1HApllgNL5 pic.twitter.com/yrCbM5HxeP

— Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) at YSPH (@HRL_YaleSPH) October 27, 2025

There were hopes late last week that the US-sponsored talks could achieve some sort of breakthrough.

However, sources told Middle East Eye that the United Arab Emirates, which is the RSF’s most significant patron, refused to address the situation in el-Fasher, which has been under siege for over 500 days.

RSF fighters on Sunday entered the city, where around 260,000 people have been trapped, capturing an army base and causing the defences to collapse.

The RSF claims it is in control of the city, describing its capture as a “decisive turning point”, after the paramilitaries had lost significant ground to the Sudanese Armed Forces in recent months.

Also on Tuesday, the Guardian citing UN documents reported that the RSF has used British military equipment.

British-manufactured small-arms target systems and engines for armoured personnel carriers were recovered from combat zones in Sudan, it emerged.

The revelation is likely to increase scrutiny of British arms exports to the UAE.

Abu Dhabi supplies the RSF with weapons, funds and mercenaries, as well as political backing in negotiations to end the conflict.