The violence that erupted in Sudan’s El-Fasher last October was labeled a 'preventable human rights catastrophe' by the UN rights chief on Monday, who cautioned about the potential for similar violence in Kordofan.
In a report to the UN Human Rights Council, Volker Turk expressed grave concern regarding the horrific aftermath of the violent confrontations triggered by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after a prolonged siege lasting 18 months.
'In a matter of days, thousands lost their lives, and tens of thousands were forced to flee in fear,' he stated, emphasizing the urgent need to hold those accountable for these actions to ensure such atrocities are not repeated.
The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese regular army and the RSF, which has been underway since April 2023, has already resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, displacing millions and igniting one of the planet's most severe humanitarian crises.
During a recent visit to Sudan, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights gathered harrowing testimonies from survivors of the violence in El-Fasher, remarking on the extraordinary level of trauma exhibited.
Survivors recounted experiences of mass killings and summary executions of civilians, both within the city and as people attempted to escape, according to Turk.
Moreover, witnesses described the sight of dead bodies strewn along roads leading away from El-Fasher, with one person comparing the scene to the Day of Judgment.
He also asserted that 'sexual violence was systematically utilized as a tactic of warfare by the RSF,' noting that his team had documented instances of the RSF recruiting and using child soldiers during the conflict.
Turk indicated that the investigations conducted by his office aligned with assessments from the International Criminal Court that concluded that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in El-Fasher.
He emphasized that such atrocities were both anticipated and could have been prevented, stating that his office had been alerting the international community about the potential for mass violence in El-Fasher for over a year.
'Our warnings were clear, yet they went unheeded,' he lamented.
While attributing the violent incidents to the RSF, he maintained that the global community must take greater action to prevent such crises. 'If we simply stand by while armed forces carry out blatant international crimes, we should only expect even graver consequences in the future,' he warned.
Turk expressed deep concern that the violations and abuses could be repeated in the Kordofan region, where fighting has escalated following the RSF's capture of El-Fasher, situated in nearby Darfur.
Civilians there are vulnerable to summary executions, sexual violence, arbitrary detentions, and separations from their families, Turk remarked. He also specifically highlighted the alarming frequency of drone strikes executed by both warring factions.
His office recorded at least 90 civilian casualties and 142 injuries resulting from drone strikes in just over two weeks leading up to February 6. The RSF’s drone strikes have targeted World Food Programme convoys, markets, health clinics, and residential areas in South and North Kordofan, he stated.
Turk urged every country to reflect on what actions they could have taken to prevent the tragic loss of many civilian lives in El-Fasher and what they plan to do to avert similar occurrences in other regions of Sudan.
He particularly called for an extension of the arms embargo on Darfur to encompass all of Sudan.
Many diplomats echoed Turk’s concerns during the council debate. A representative from the European Union expressed deep worry regarding the situation in Kordofan, reiterating that the atrocities witnessed in El-Fasher must not be allowed to reoccur.
Algeria’s envoy underlined the urgency, stating, 'We must not permit another civilian disaster to transpire under our watch.'
Switzerland’s representative called the situation 'the very embodiment of cruelty' and emphasized the necessity of facing these issues head-on.
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