Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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October 31, 2025 International law
New reports are emerging of atrocities committed during and after the capture of El Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur province, by the Rapid Intervention Forces. Seif Magango, a representative of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), spoke at a press briefing in Geneva on Friday.
Mass crimes in El Fasher
Speaking via video link from Nairobi, he noted that since the Rapid Intervention Forces entered the city on 23 October, OHCHR had received "horrific reports" of extrajudicial executions, massacres, rapes, attacks on humanitarian workers, robberies and abductions.
In an interview with the UN News Service, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan Denise Brown spoke about the information coming out of El Fasher.
"We have begun receiving credible reports of extrajudicial executions of unarmed civilians, particularly men who are forced to the ground and shot. We have also received credible reports of extrajudicial executions of civilians attempting to flee the fighting in El Fasher," she said.
The situation in Tawila
Brown has just returned from the town of Tawila, where most people fleeing El Fasher are heading.
"They can't take a bus or a car, they walk," Brown says.
"Our Office has received testimonies from those who fled El Fasher in terror and endured the perilous journey to Tawila, approximately 70 km away. It's a three- to four-day journey. We have received shocking videos and other images documenting serious violations of international humanitarian law and gross human rights abuses," said Seif Magango.
Denise Brown also reported that fewer people have been arriving in Tawila in recent days. This could mean that the Rapid Intervention Forces are not releasing the remaining people from El Fasher.
Communication with the city has been cut off, hampering any attempts to obtain and confirm information. OHCHR estimates that the death toll during and after the capture of El Fasher by the Rapid Intervention Forces could be in the hundreds.
Attacks on medical facilities
Magango recalled the attack on a maternity hospital a few days ago, which killed 460 people, and also reported attacks on buildings in the Daraja Ula and Al-Matar areas that were temporarily used as medical centers.
Millions of people across Sudan are unable to access healthcare due to ongoing attacks on health facilities, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Sexual violence
According to an OHCHR representative, there are also reports of sexual violence. At least 25 women were gang-raped when the Rapid Intervention Forces attacked a shelter for internally displaced persons near El Fasher University. The militants also forced approximately 100 families to leave the shelter.
Attacks on humanitarian workers
On October 27, at least two local humanitarian workers were killed in El Fasher. As of October 29, OHCHR has recorded at least four attacks on humanitarian personnel and local volunteers. Under the current circumstances, delivering humanitarian aid to the city is extremely difficult and dangerous. Rapid Intervention Forces have been besieging the city for over 500 days.
"We haven't been able to access El Fasher for over 500 days. In practice, this means our humanitarian convoys are blocked, so there are no food, medicine, or clean water supplies," said Denise Brown, Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan.
Violations in Bara, North Kordofan
There are also reports of serious violations related to the capture of the town of Bara in North Kordofan, including the alleged extrajudicial execution of five Red Crescent volunteers. At least 50 civilians have been killed, some of them for allegedly supporting the Sudanese Armed Forces.
"These latest serious violations committed in El Fasher and its surrounding area, as well as in Bara, potentially constitute crimes under international law. An independent, prompt, transparent, and thorough investigation is essential… and those responsible must be held accountable," Magango said.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk reiterated his call on States with influence over the parties to the conflict to take urgent measures to end the violence, stem the flow of weapons and ensure effective protection of civilians.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.