UN Rights Chief Warns of Imminent Atrocities in Besieged Sudanese City El Fasher

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has issued an urgent appeal for immediate international action to prevent large-scale atrocities in El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur State. The city, under siege for more than 500 days by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), is facing intensified attacks that threaten to spiral into mass ethnically-driven violence.

El Fasher Under Siege

El Fasher, long a humanitarian lifeline in Darfur, is now at risk of collapse as the RSF seeks to wrest control from Sudanese Armed Forces. The siege has left civilians trapped with dwindling supplies of food, water, and medicine, while indiscriminate shelling, drone strikes, and ground assaults have devastated communities.

Between 19 and 29 September alone, at least 91 civilians were killed, according to the UN Human Rights Office. Recent attacks have deliberately targeted civilian areas, including markets, mosques, and community kitchens that serve displaced populations.

On 19 September, a drone strike on a mosque killed at least 67 worshippers, while on 30 September, artillery shelling on a community kitchen in Abu Shouk neighbourhood killed at least 23 people. The Daraja Oula neighbourhood, which has received civilians fleeing Abu Shouk camp, has suffered repeated drone strikes, including two in a local market just last week.

Use of Drones Raises Alarm

Reports of RSF pre-positioning long-range drones in South Darfur have raised fears that the fighting could escalate further, with devastating consequences for civilians. Türk warned that the intensification of aerial attacks signals an attempt to force mass displacement from El Fasher, mirroring earlier offensives in other parts of Darfur.

At Risk: The Most Vulnerable

The High Commissioner stressed the urgent need to protect those who cannot flee the violence — including the elderly, people with disabilities, and those with chronic illnesses. For those attempting to escape, the risks remain perilous.

“Safe and voluntary passage of civilians must be ensured,” Türk said, highlighting reports of summary executions, torture, abductions, and looting along exit routes and checkpoints controlled by armed groups.

Ethnically-Driven Violence

There are mounting concerns that the RSF’s assault on El Fasher could repeat the patterns of ethnically motivated atrocities seen in previous offensives, including the April attack on Zamzam IDP camp, where Zaghawa women and girls were subjected to systematic sexual violence. Türk underscored that such violations, if repeated, could amount to atrocity crimes.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens

The siege has created dire shortages of essentials. Food prices are skyrocketing as supplies dwindle, while attacks on humanitarian infrastructure further erode civilian survival. The shelling of one of the few remaining community kitchens has worsened the already fragile food situation.

The RSF has been accused of blocking food and humanitarian supplies into the city and punishing civilians caught smuggling goods. “Credible reports confirm civilians tortured and killed by RSF fighters simply for bringing food into El Fasher,” Türk said.

He reminded all parties that starvation as a method of warfare is strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law, and called for unhindered humanitarian access.

Calls for International Action

Türk urged the RSF, Sudanese Armed Forces, and all armed actors to immediately lift the siege and allow humanitarian agencies unrestricted access to deliver life-saving aid. He also appealed to states with influence in Sudan to act urgently to prevent atrocities.

“Atrocities are not inevitable,” Türk emphasized. “They can be averted if all actors take concrete action to uphold international law, demand respect for civilian life and property, and prevent the continued commission of atrocity crimes.”

What’s at Stake

The escalating crisis in El Fasher represents not just a local humanitarian emergency but also a potential turning point in Sudan’s wider conflict, which has already displaced millions and destabilized the entire region. Without swift international action, the city risks becoming the site of mass atrocities, with devastating consequences for civilians and long-lasting implications for peace and stability in Darfur.