Why it matters:
El-Fasher has become the epicenter of Sudan’s worsening humanitarian crisis. The violence, marked by ethnic targeting and systematic assaults on civilians, threatens to deepen the country’s fragmentation and prolong a war that has already killed thousands and displaced millions.
The big picture:
Since April 15, 2023, Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in a devastating conflict.
On October 26, the RSF seized control of El-Fasher, with local and international organizations reporting massacres of civilians.
Regional and international mediation efforts have so far failed to end the war.
The key points:
- Over the past ten days, El-Fasher has witnessed intensified attacks described as “systematic assaults on human life and dignity.”
- Hundreds were killed, including women and children; wounded civilians sought refuge in hospitals and schools. Entire families were cut down while fleeing, and others have disappeared.
- Thousands arrested, including medical staff and journalists.
- UN officials warn of widespread sexual violence, compounding the humanitarian crisis.
- Civilians remain trapped with no secure routes out of the city, facing grave risks, especially the elderly, disabled, and those with chronic health conditions.
- Despite communication blackouts, UN teams continue to record violations and raise survivors’ voices.
What they’re saying:
Li Fung, UN Human Rights Representative in Sudan:
“El-Fasher has become a city of grief.”
“What we are witnessing is not chaos. It is a systematic assault on human life and dignity.”
“El-Fasher is bleeding and the time to act is now. The violence must be stopped. Civilians must be protected. Accountability is the only way forward.”
Between the lines:
The UN’s urgent call highlights fears that unchecked atrocities in El-Fasher could entrench ethnic divisions and accelerate Sudan’s slide toward permanent partition.
Bottom line:
The UN Human Rights Office is pressing the international community for safe passage, protection of civilians, unhindered humanitarian aid, and accountability, warning that without immediate action, the horrors in El-Fasher will not only continue but risk repeating on a wider scale.
Go deeper:
UN Rights Chief Warns of Atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur, Kordofan
Hossein Amiri - A.Akbari
