The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) reports that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have carried out brutal attacks on the besieged city of El Fasher and the Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in Sudan’s North Darfur State which hosts some 25,000 children, women, and men. These attacks resulted in the killing of at least 89 civilians over a ten-day period until Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, a World Food Programme (WFP) convoy of 16 trucks carrying life-saving food assistance was attacked by a drone in Melit, North Darfur and three trucks caught fire and were destroyed. Reportedly, no one was killed in the attack.
Concerning the attacks on civilians in El Fasher, OHCHR fears that the actual number of civilian casualties is likely higher.
“In the latest attacks documented by our Office, between August 16 and 20, at least 32 civilians were killed. At least 57 civilians were killed in previous attacks on August 11,” said Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, to journalists in Geneva on Friday.
“Such attacks are unacceptable and must cease immediately.”
OHCHR is particularly horrified because 16 of the most recent civilian killings appeared to be summary executions.
“Most of the victims were killed in Abu Shouk camp and belonged to the African Zaghawa tribe, according to information gathered by our Office,” Laurence said.
“In another case in the El Fasher area, a victim was asked which tribe he belonged to. He was killed after responding that he was from the African Berti tribe.”
In the western Darfur region of Sudan, civilians continue to be attacked and killed because of their skin color and ethnicity.
“This pattern of attacks on civilians and willful killings, which are serious violations of international humanitarian law, deepens our concerns about ethnically motivated violence,” the OHCHR spokesperson said.
“We have also received disturbing reports from the ground that during attacks on 16 August at least 40 internally displaced men were abducted. Their whereabouts remain unknown.”
Since Sudan’s brutal conflict began over two years ago, North Darfur State has been one of the war’s epicenters. Humanitarian needs continue to rise across North Darfur, including in Tawila, where more than 300,000 people have sought refuge since April.
Meanwhile, the El Fasher region is experiencing a severe humanitarian and public health crisis caused by ongoing conflict, blockades, and mass displacement. After more than a year of siege, the humanitarian situation in the town of El Fasher has reached a critical point.
While famine has been declared in several displacement camps in the area, including Abu Shouk, there is a growing risk of famine in the town and other areas of North Darfur State. El Fasher is cut off from humanitarian access, leaving the remaining population with little choice but to survive with whatever limited supplies remain.
WFP has not been able to deliver food assistance to El Fasher by road for over a year because all roads leading there are blocked. In June, a joint WFP and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) convoy carrying food and nutritional supplies for El Fasher was attacked; five people were killed, and the supplies were destroyed.
WFP aid convoy attacked
Laurence said that his Office was appalled by reports that those trying to deliver essential aid were attacked once again.
On August 20, a UN humanitarian convoy was hit by aerial strikes in Mellit, North Darfur. Consisting of 16 trucks, the convoy was operated by WFP and carried life-saving food assistance for vulnerable families. Three trucks caught fire and were destroyed during the drone attack. Fortunately, all convoy personnel are safe and accounted for.
Under international humanitarian law, humanitarian assistance and workers are explicitly protected and must not be targeted. Attacks on humanitarian efforts only worsen the humanitarian and the human rights situation for civilians.
In a statement on Thursday, Luca Renda, the Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, condemned the attack in the strongest terms. He called for an immediate and independent investigation into the incident and for those responsible to be held accountable.
“This latest incident adds to many unacceptable attacks in recent months taking lifesaving food assistance away from those that need it most., “Renda said.
“Unimpeded access to reach the most vulnerable families in Darfur and across Sudan is critical. Humanitarian staff and assets must never be a target”
On Friday, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on all parties to the conflict to immediately take concrete measures to protect civilians. This includes ensuring safe passage for those wishing to leave conflict-affected areas and facilitating unimpeded humanitarian assistance for those in need.
On Thursday, OCHA reiterated the importance of respecting international humanitarian law and ensuring the safety and protection of humanitarian personnel and supplies. Humanitarian workers must be permitted to carry out their work without fear of obstruction or violence.
The latest attack occurred less than three months after the attack on a WFP and UNICEF humanitarian convoy in Al Koma, North Darfur, in early June. That convoy was awaiting clearance to proceed to the state capital, El Fasher. Five convoy members were killed, and several others were injured.
These attacks are occurring at a time when nearly 25 million people in Sudan are experiencing acute hunger and famine is spreading in several areas of North Darfur and other parts of the country.
Famine in Sudan
Sudan is the only country in the world where famine has been confirmed in multiple areas and continues to spread. Ten locations have been declared famine zones: eight in North Darfur and two in the Western Nuba Mountains. Seventeen other areas, including parts of Darfur, the Nuba Mountains, Khartoum, and Al Jazira, are at risk of famine.
Food insecurity continues to worsen across Sudan. According to the WFP's latest Market Monitor Report, prices for all major food items rose sharply in July compared to June, driving the national average cost of the WFP local food basket up by more than a quarter. This surge is largely fueled by extreme price hikes in El Fasher and in Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan State.
Acute malnutrition is also growing. So far this year, some 20,000 children have been admitted for treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM).
SAM, also known as severe wasting, is the deadliest form of malnutrition. Children with SAM require immediate, intensive treatment because they are extremely vulnerable to life-threatening complications and have a high mortality rate if they receive inadequate or inappropriate care.
The UN and other aid agencies continue to respond to urgent needs wherever access is possible, but insecurity, logistical constraints, and underfunding remain major barriers to scaling up humanitarian assistance.
Over 100,000 cases of cholera reported in Sudan as disease spreads to all states
On Friday, Christian Lindmeier, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), told journalists in Geneva that all 18 states in Sudan are reporting cholera cases with over 100,000 cases and more than 2,740 deaths reported since July 2024.
The disease has spread throughout the Darfur region in recent months and is also spreading across the three Kordofan states, which are another epicenter of the ongoing war. Sudan continues to have severely restricted access to healthcare, with 38 percent of facilities non-functional across the country.
Along with cholera, Sudan is grappling with multiple disease outbreaks, including malaria, dengue fever, measles, and rubella.
At the same time, attacks on healthcare facilities continue to mark the conflict in Sudan. According to WHO, at least 177 attacks have been verified, leading to 1,176 recorded deaths and 362 injuries.
Cholera has also spread to eastern Chad, which hosts large numbers of Sudanese refugees. There, 735 cases have been confirmed, resulting in 50 deaths.
According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the outbreak is spreading rapidly due to its high case-fatality rate and is affecting six refugee camps. The amount of water delivered to refugees is inadequate, and the shelters are overcrowded, so there is a real risk of the disease spreading farther.
The world’s largest humanitarian crisis
Since April 15, 2023, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have been engaged in a devastating war, causing an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. Currently, over 30 million people require urgent relief, making this the world's largest humanitarian crisis.
This conflict is being waged with new levels of violence and brutality against civilians, particularly in Darfur. The RSF, in particular, has been accused of mass killings and rape as a means of warfare. Both parties have been accused of serious war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Thousands have been targeted based on their ethnicity, resulting in death, injury, abuse, and exploitation, which has forced more and more people to flee the violence.
As a result, Sudan is grappling with the world's largest and most severe displacement crisis. Since the war began, more than 13 million people have been forced to flee their homes. Over 4 million of those displaced have crossed into neighboring countries, including Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over 1.3 million displaced individuals have returned to their areas of origin in recent months, reducing the overall displacement figure to over 12 million since the war began.
Children account for at least half of those in need of aid and more than half of those displaced since April 2023. Approximately 24 million children in Sudan are at risk of violence, abuse, exploitation, and trauma. Those separated from their families or traveling alone face heightened risks.
As of today, only 25 percent of the $4.2 billion needed to provide lifesaving aid to nearly 21 million of the most vulnerable people in Sudan has been received by the UN and other aid agencies. UNHCR reports that $1.8 billion is required to support 4.8 million refugees and the communities hosting them. However, only 19 percent of the necessary funds have been allocated.