The crisis forced people to resort to eating peanut shells and animal feed, stated UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Friday. He condemned mass killings of civilians, ethnic-based executions, and ongoing atrocities. At the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Türk informed Member States that bloodstains in El Fasher are visible from space.
“We warned that the Rapid Support Forces’ takeover would lead to a bloodbath,” he said, urging international action to halt the violence. “All involved in this conflict should know: we are watching, and justice must prevail,” emphasized the High Commissioner.
Stranded, seeking help
UNHCR reported nearly 100,000 people have fled from El Fasher and nearby villages recently. “They are stranded,” said Jacqueline Wilma Parlevliet, UNHCR’s Head of Sub Office in Port Sudan. Families reaching Tawila spoke of unimaginable horrors. Parlevliet highlighted reports of rape, sexual violence, and desperation during a video briefing.
“Parents are searching for missing children, with many traumatized due to conflict and dangerous journeys. Lacking ransom money, families lost young male relatives to arrests or forced recruitment,” she explained. Those escaping face perilous journeys, avoiding military checkpoints, traveling up to 15 days with little food and water, reaching places like Ad Dabbah.
Reports indicate many are forcibly returned to dire conditions in El Fasher. Thousands, especially the elderly and disabled, remain trapped, said Parlevliet.
A crisis of staggering proportions
Sudan faces the world’s largest displacement crisis, with over 12 million displaced. UN Mine Action Service notes a significant unexploded weapons threat, with 13 million square kilometers contaminated in South Kordofan, West Kordofan, and Blue Nile States.
“There are many countries affected by war remnants; Sudan is different. War mainly occurs in urban areas,” noted Sediq Rashid, Chief of UNMAS Sudan. In Khartoum, risks include unexploded ammunitions and mines. Displaced families, unfamiliar with areas, face additional risks.
Civilian casualties from mines and ordnance are rising, but reported cases are just a fraction of the true impact, Rashid said.
Human Rights Council spotlight on Sudanese plight
The gravity of Sudan’s crisis prompted the UN Human Rights Council to hold a Special Session on Friday, focusing on El Fasher. The Council, established in 2006, acts to protect fundamental rights under attack, as in Sudan.
Council investigations can be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC). Member States expressed alarm as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces captured El Fasher, ending an 18-month siege. This is linked to credible reports of widespread atrocities, including executions, ethnically motivated killings, sexual violence, abductions, and deliberate civilian attacks.
During Special Sessions, the UN’s top human rights official, Volker Türk, delivers the opening address, followed by independent experts and concerned Member States. The session can be viewed on UN Web TV, and key remarks are available on the UN Multimedia Newsroom.
The Council has monitored the crisis since it began in April 2023 following a breakdown in the transition to civilian rule after President Omar al-Bashir’s overthrow. The Special Session adopted a resolution requesting independent rights investigators to urgently investigate El Fasher allegations and report back.
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