Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
October 27, 2025 Peace and security
The Rapid Intervention Force (RIF) is committing serious human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, in El Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur region, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has warned.
According to the Office, there are reports of civilians being shot at as they attempted to flee the city. There are indications that the killings are being committed along ethnic lines, and that former combatants who have laid down their arms are being executed. This is prohibited by international humanitarian law, the UN recalls.
Urgent measures
"The risk of further large-scale ethnically motivated violations and atrocities in El Fasher is growing every day," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
He called for "urgent and concrete measures" to protect civilians and ensure safe passage for those trying to flee the fighting.
According to the OHCHR, hundreds of people, including a journalist, were detained while attempting to escape. There are also reports of civilian deaths, including local volunteers, as a result of artillery shelling last week.
Escalation of violence
On Monday, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who is based in Southeast Asia, called what is happening in Darfur a "horrible escalation" of the conflict and emphasized that the time has come to "directly call out the countries interfering in the war and supplying weapons" to the parties to the conflict. He reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire.
According to the UN chief, the problem is not only the clashes between the army and the RSF, but also the increasingly obvious external interference, which is undermining the prospects for a ceasefire and a political settlement.
Civilians are under threat
The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Denise Brown, said civilians fleeing El Fasher are often kidnapped for ransom.
According to her, humanitarian organizations are helping adults and children who are “dehydrated, exhausted, some are injured, and all without exception are in a state of shock.”
According to OHCHR reports, five men were executed by SRF fighters for attempting to deliver food to the besieged city, which has been under siege for 18 months. Some of the victims were reportedly accused of supporting the Sudanese armed forces.
Brown emphasized that only 27 percent of the necessary funding for humanitarian response has been secured. This prevents the UN from fully assisting people who have "survived violence, rape, and starvation."
Humanitarian workers under threat
Since the conflict in Sudan began in April 2023, nearly 130 aid workers have been killed, including volunteers in El Fasher.
"These people are the backbone of the humanitarian response in the most difficult areas, and they are also protected by international humanitarian law," Brown emphasized.
Volker Türk, in turn, reiterated that RSF commanders are obliged, in accordance with international law, to protect civilians and ensure safe access for humanitarian aid.
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