Satellite Image Does Not Show Recent Blood in Sudan’s El Fasher
Emerging story
As massacres continue in Sudan, social media users widely circulated a satellite image purportedly showing El Fasher, where the blood of Sudanese victims appears to mix with the sand.
An X user posted the image with the caption, “This is an image taken from a satellite in orbit... the red color is puddles of blood in Sudan's El Fasher city following the massacres being committed by RSF against civilians.”
Publishers
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral image and found the claim to be misleading; the image does not show a recent satellite image depicting Sudanese blood mixing with sand amid ongoing massacres in El Fasher.
Old Satellite Image Shows Smoke Rising from Zamzam Camp of El Fasher
Misbar’s investigation team conducted a detailed reverse image search, which found that the circulating image is outdated.
The Washington Post published the same satellite image, crediting Maxar Technologies, and captioned it as showing fire and smoke at the Zamzam camp near the besieged Darfur city of El Fasher on April 16, 2025.
Misbar’s team also traced the image to its original source on the AFP Forum, which confirmed that it was shot on April 16 at the Zamzam camp in the besieged Darfur region of El Fasher, Sudan.
What Is Happening in Sudan’s El Fasher?
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control of El Fasher from the army after an 18-month siege that trapped tens of thousands of civilians in Darfur. The RSF now dominates all major urban centers in the region.
In a statement released on Sunday, the RSF announced it “extended control over the city of El Fasher from the grip of mercenaries and militias.” A day later, Sudanese army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan confirmed that his forces withdrew to “a safer location,” effectively conceding the city’s loss.
Reports accuse the RSF of massacring hundreds of unarmed civilians in ethnically motivated attacks, as well as abducting residents and extorting ransom payments.
Most accounts of the atrocities surfaced through video footage, much of it recorded and circulated by RSF fighters themselves.
Calls to Boycott UAE After Massacres in El Fasher
Calls to boycott the United Arab Emirates and companies linked to it have surged across social media, driven by growing outrage over the Gulf state's alleged support for Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Middle East Eye reported.
The campaign went viral after the RSF captured El Fasher, the Sudanese army's last stronghold in North Darfur, on October 26.
Abu Dhabi has been widely documented as the RSF's main backer, allegedly providing the group with weapons and military supplies.
The RSF has faced repeated accusations of massacres and ethnic cleansing across Darfur. Although the UAE has denied supporting the group, several reports and investigations documented Dubai's support of the armed forces.
Read More
23-Year-Old Image of Starving Malawi Child Misattributed to Sudan
Fake Social Media Accounts Pushing Pro-UAE Propaganda Across Africa