Geneva [Switzerland]: At least 782 civilians have been killed, and over 1,143 injured amid the ongoing siege and hostilities in El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur State, according to a report released by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Friday.
The report highlights that thousands of civilians remain besieged without guarantees of safe passage, facing indiscriminate attacks by all sides in the conflict.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk described the situation as “alarming,” urging the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to end the siege.
“The continuing siege of El Fasher and the relentless fighting are devastating lives every day on a massive scale. This alarming situation cannot continue. The RSF must end this horrible siege. And I urge all parties to the conflict to stop attacks on civilians and civilian objects. I call on them to comply with their obligations and commitments under international law,” Turk stated.
The conflict, now in its seventh month, has turned El Fasher into a battleground between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), which are backed by allied Joint Forces comprising the Sudan Liberation Movement/Minni Minawi, the Justice and Equality Movement/Jibril Ibrahim, and smaller armed groups.
Indiscriminate Attacks and Civilian Impact
The OHCHR report, based on interviews with 52 people who fled the city and corroborated by independent sources, reveals widespread use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas, including shelling by the RSF and recurrent airstrikes by the SAF. These actions raise serious concerns about compliance with international law and the principle of precaution in conflict.
A major escalation in June saw heavy exchanges of fire in civilian areas, resulting in dozens of fatalities. Homes were repurposed for military use, and markets were attacked and looted.
“Victims died inside their houses, in markets, in the vicinity of hospitals, and in the streets,” the report noted. In Al-Thawra Janoub, residents were unable to retrieve bodies from the streets for days due to relentless shelling.
The Al-Saudi Maternity Hospital, the only public hospital still operating in El Fasher, has been shelled multiple times by the RSF, disrupting critical surgical and reproductive health services.
Displacement and Worsening Humanitarian Crisis
Internally displaced persons (IDPs) have also been targeted. The RSF has repeatedly attacked Zamzam and Abu Shouk IDP camps, with Zamzam camp alone experiencing six shelling incidents, leaving at least 15 displaced people dead. This camp, home to hundreds of thousands, has also seen an increased presence of SAF-allied Joint Forces, suggesting preparations for further violence.
Turk warned of catastrophic consequences if large-scale attacks on Zamzam camp or El Fasher city occur, exacerbating famine conditions and deepening the humanitarian crisis.
“All efforts must be taken, including by the international community, to prevent such an attack and to halt the siege,” he emphasized.
Call for Mediation and Ceasefire
The UN Human Rights Chief called on all parties to embrace mediation efforts in good faith to achieve an immediate cessation of hostilities and alleviate the dire conditions facing civilians in Darfur.
The report underscores the urgent need for international intervention to prevent further escalation and ensure the protection of civilians in El Fasher and surrounding areas