UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk today sounded the alarm over the intensified fighting for control of the city of El Fasher in North Darfur, and warned of a growing, horrific toll on civilians.
Since May 2024, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) supported by allied tribal militia have besieged El Fasher in their conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied armed movements. The lack of safe routes out of the city, along with exorbitant costs and payments required to leave, have left many trapped there.
"Over the past two weeks, the battle for El Fasher has escalated significantly and we have documented increasing incidents of civilians being killed as a result of shelling and airstrikes by both the RSF and the SAF," said Türk.
In the heaviest recent fighting, on 20 to 21 September, at least 20 civilians were killed by artillery shelling near the main market, and many shops were destroyed. The actual number of civilian casualties is believed to be much higher, but telecommunications blackouts have made verification difficult.
In the past two weeks, in addition to rising civilian casualties, the UN Human Rights Office has documented cases of summary executions, sexual and gender-based violence, and reported abductions of at least five women and several young men in El Fasher. There have also been reports of large-scale arbitrary arrests in North and South Darfur by the RSF who accuse civilians of providing information and coordinates of their locations to the SAF.
Due to targeted attacks on medical facilities, civilians also have been denied access to urgent healthcare, and food supplies are extremely limited.
"From bitter past experience, if El Fasher falls, there is a high risk of ethnically targeted violations and abuses, including summary executions and sexual violence, by the RSF and allied militia," Türk added.
In particular, he highlighted concerns for residents of Abu Shouk IDP camp, which has come under sustained shelling by the RSF since May, and of Zamzam IDP camp. "People in those camps are at grave risk of retaliatory attacks based on their tribal identity, real or perceived, as coming from the same communities as leaders of armed movements aligned with the SAF," Türk said.
The High Commissioner pointed to the findings of monitoring missions to eastern Chad by the UN Human Rights Office which documented horrific patterns of ethnically targeted violations and abuses, specifically against the Masalit community, after the RSF took control of El Geneina and Ardamata in West Darfur in June and November 2023.
Türk also highlighted concerns about the escalation of hostilities and increasing civilian casualties in other parts of the country, including in greater Khartoum and in Sennar state.
"The fighting must stop at once. Enough is enough," he said. "In addition to their obligations under international humanitarian law, the parties to this conflict must also live up to the commitments accepted in the Jeddah Declaration to protect civilians and engage in good faith with mediation efforts.
"I also call on the international community, including through the Security Council, to take necessary, effective action to protect civilians in Sudan, notably those groups at special risk of targeted violence, and to ensure respect for international law by all parties."
