U.S. sanctions on RSF commanders over El-Fasher mark a diplomatic escalation, as the violence unfolded amid chaotic urban warfare and state collapse rather than a centrally directed genocidal plan. The commander apologized and pledged to punish those who harmed civilians, announcing investigative committees. Labeling the events genocide risks a one-sided reading of a conflict in which the Sudanese Armed Forces also face accusations of systematic attacks on civilians, including women and children killed while gathering water during Ramadan.