Tag Archives: Sudans

‘Like a scene out of a horror movie’: UN report warns of war crimes in Sudan’s El Fasher

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“Persistent impunity fuels continued cycles of violence,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, calling for credible investigations and accountability for perpetrators. 

Sudan’s national army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia have been fighting each other for control of the country for almost three years. The new report details widespread atrocities committed during the RSF assault on the besieged city of El Fasher in North Darfur. 

The RSF and allied Arab militia carried out mass killings and summary executions, sexual violence, abductions for ransom, torture and ill-treatment, detention, disappearances, pillage and the use of children in hostilities. Many attacks were directed against civilians and persons hors de combat based on ethnicity or perceived affiliation. 

Documented atrocities  

Based on hundreds of interviews with victims and witnesses in late 2025, OHCHR documented more than 6,000 killings in the first three days of the RSF offensive. The report however warns the overall death toll during the weeks-long offensive is “undoubtedly significantly higher”. 

The report revealed that in one incident around 500 people were killed when RSF fighters opened fire using heavy weapons on a crowd of 1,000 sheltering at Al-Rashid dormitory in El Fasher University on 26 October. One of the witnesses reported seeing bodies thrown into the air “like a scene out of a horror movie”. 

RSF fighters also carried out summary executions within El Fasher of civilians, targeting young boys and men under 50, accused of “collaboration” with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Joint Forces, often determined on the basis of their non-Arab ethnicity, such as the Zaghawa community.  

Survivors and witnesses recounted patterns of rape and gang rape, abductions for ransom using sexual violence, and sexual assault during invasive body searches, with women and girls from the Zaghawa and other non-Arab communities at particular risk.   

Possible crimes against humanity  

According to the report, the violations at El Fasher mirror other RSF offensives during the war, such as at the Zamzam camp in April 2025. The “organized and sustained course of conduct” suggested a systematic attack against the civilian population in the Darfur region.  

“The acts of violence knowingly committed as part of such an attack would amount to crimes against humanity”, OHCHR said. 

Calls for justice 

Mr. Türk urged parties to the conflict to end violations by forces under their command and called on States with influence to help prevent further atrocities, including by respecting the arms embargo and halting the supply of weapons. 

He called on States to do everything possible to support local, regional, and international mediation efforts, to achieve a cessation of hostilities and a pathway towards inclusive civilian governance.  

“In a protection crisis of this scale, human rights must remain central to efforts to achieve a durable resolution of the conflict,” he said. 

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Amid Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, Chad shows ‘act of solidarity’

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That’s according to UN human rights chief Volker Türk, who had discussions with over 40 leaders of Sudanese civil society in Northern State’s capital, Dongola, this week.

“But these representatives have also found the solution,” Mr. Türk said in a video on X. “There needs to be an all-out effort, both within Sudan and by the international community to help them, to facilitate their work.”

The conflict in Sudan which erupted in 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the armed group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has uprooted some 9.3 million people and has brought about one of the world’s largest hunger crises.

Mr. Türk began his visit on Wednesday and is meeting with Sudanese authorities, civil society, humanitarian partners and people displaced by the conflict in Darfur and Kordofan. He will be holding two press conferences at the end of his visit on 18 January.

Chad shows ‘act of solidarity’ 

Since April 2023, more than 900,000 Sudanese refugees have arrived in eastern Chad, with new arrivals every day, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.

The newly-appointed UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih visited Chad this week for the first time in this capacity, where he met with Sudanese refugee families and local authorities.

Many of the refugees he met had been displaced multiple times since the conflict began. They described years of violent attacks and human rights abuses.

“What is unfolding in Sudan is a humanitarian calamity of overwhelming scale. Chad’s generous welcome of refugees is a powerful act of solidarity,” Mr. Salih said.

From displacement to solutions 

Mr. Salih also acknowledged the host communities that have welcomed refugees despite economic hardship and environmental pressure.

He reiterated UNHCR’s readiness to work with the Government and others to facilitate economic opportunity and provide services for both refugees and the host communities.

The UN Refugees chief, Barham Salih (centre), speaks with Sudanese refugees at a women’s centre in Farchana, Chad.

“Visiting Chad and Kenya this last week, both countries clearly demonstrate how, with sustained international support, inclusive policies can move us from responding to displacement emergencies towards providing solutions,” Mr. Salih emphasised.

“When refugees are protected and included, they can rebuild their lives and contribute to the societies that host them. This is what I am seeing here, and this is the direction in which we must travel.”

 

Sudan’s people tortured and killed in ‘slaughterhouses’, rights probe says

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Shortly after presenting a mandated report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, chair of the Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan, Mohamed Chande Othman, insisted that both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia had carried out atrocity crimes.

Among the testimonies gathered for the report, survivors from RSF detention sites described the locations as “slaughterhouses”.

Tortured, staved, denied medical care

In one notorious RSF facility, dozens of detainees died between June and October this year after being tortured, denied food and medical care, the independent rights expert said.

Equally, in SAF-run detention facilities, “civilians were also subjected to torture, including electric shock, sexualized abuse and they were held in cells so overcrowded that some prisoners had to sleep standing,” he added.

In addition, girls as young as 12 were forced into marriage, “sometimes under the threat of death to their families”, the fact-finding mission chair continued.

“Men and boys were also subjected to sexualized torture and such acts are rooted in racism, prejudice and impunity and they devastate entire communities.”

Highlighting the lack of diplomatic solutions to the conflict which began in April 2023, and its massive impact of the war on civilians, report co-author Mona Rishmawi insisted that “everybody knows you cannot rape, you cannot loot, you cannot destroy property. You cannot starve people…But if there is no accountability, of course they will continue doing it.”

Extermination goal

Asked why the report had decided not to describe what has been happening in Sudan as genocide, Ms. Rishmawi replied that the evidence “basically looks at more or less the same kind of violations as genocide”.

She added: “You kill, [you provide] no food, no water, you don’t allow food production. You don’t allow access to food, to markets…and you don’t allow access to humanitarian aid. What you do want is to kill the population…So, the effect of this is really the crime against humanity…of extermination.”

Hunger crisis

The investigative body created by the Human Rights Council in October 2023 highlighted the devastating humanitarian emergency that has resulted from the war.

“In displacement camps such Zamzam and Abu Shouk, witnesses describe children dying of hunger and dehydration in the streets, including people eating animal food,” said Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Expert Member of the Fact-Finding Mission.

Addressing the council earlier, fact-finding mission chair Mr. Othman insisted that the war was “destroying not only lives but also the means of survival”, with hospitals, markets, water and electricity systems – and even humanitarian convoys – systematically attacked.

“Markets, the backbone of food access, have been repeatedly bombed,” he said, adding that in October 2024, SAF airstrikes on El Koma market killed at least 45 civilians.

Dying of thirst

“Two months later, Kabkabiya market was struck, killing more than 100. In March this year, SAF bombed Tora market during peak hours, killing and injuring hundreds.”

The mission report underscored how the RSF had also shelled markets, pillaged entire areas and destroyed Zamzam camp’s market.

RSF drone strikes hit the Merowe Dam and water towers, leaving communities without drinking water, while “one mother told us she lost all four of her children to thirst while fleeing”, said Mr. Othman, who like the other members of the panel is an independent human rights expert and not a UN staff member.

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‘Only hunger and bombs’ for besieged civilians in Sudan’s El Fasher

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At least 57 civilians were killed in the attack, which included the Abu Shouk displacement camp on the outskirts of the city, and UN human rights office, OHCHR, is also following up on allegations of summary executions there.  

“It is with dismay that we yet again witness an unimaginable horror inflicted upon civilians in El Fasher, who have endured over a year of siege, persistent attacks and dire humanitarian conditions,” said Mr. Türk.

Serial attacks

“Such repeated attacks on civilians, which raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law, are totally unacceptable and must stop.”

Between January and June, the RSF – which has been battling forces of the military government for control of Sudan for over two years – has attacked the Abu Shouk camp at least 16 times, killing at least 212 and leaving 111 others injured.  

“Once again, I am raising the alarm about the serious risk of ethnically motivated persecution as the RSF tries to seize control of El Fasher and Abu Shouk camp,” Mr. Türk stressed, reiterating his call to protect civilians and urging humanitarian pauses in besieged areas to reach those in need.

Human rights violations in Zamzam

UN human rights officials recently interviewed survivors of the RSF’s devastating assault on Zamzam camp, 15 kilometres south of El Fasher, where famine was confirmed in August 2024.  

Testimonies corroborated previous documentation of serious human rights abuses against civilians during a particularly deadly attack on Zamzam camp in April 2025, including killings, widespread rape and gang rape, enforced disappearances and torture.  

“I urge third States to use all their influence to put an end to these violations,” said Mr. Türk. “Accountability is crucial to break this cycle of persistent and egregious violations.”

Deepening hunger

A year after famine was first confirmed in Zamzam, hundreds of thousands are still trapped in El Fasher, cut off from World Food Programme (WFP) assistance and facing deepening hunger.

Trade routes and supply lines entering El Fasher are blocked, resulting in soaring prices and the cessation of most community kitchens’ operations.  

Some residents are reportedly surviving on animal fodder and food waste.  

“Everyone in El Fasher is facing a daily struggle to survive,” said Eric Perdison, WFP’s Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa.

“Without immediate and sustained access,” for humanitarians, Perdison added, “lives will be lost.”

Sudan’s conflict, which began in April 2023, has created the world’s largest hunger crisis: around 25 million people – half the country’s population – face acute hunger, and 3.5 million women and children face malnutrition.

From El Fasher to Tawila

Many victims of the attack on the Zamzam camp and those suffering from hunger in El Fasher fled to the Tawila camp, 75 kilometres away.  

“Hunger forced us to leave,” said eight-year-old Sondos, who told WFP she had fled with her family after weeks of surviving on millet.

There was “only hunger and bombs,” she testified, with shells raining down on the city.

Another Tawila resident, 47-year-old Mohamed, travelled from Zamzam to El Fasher before making it to Tawila.

People died of thirst along the way, he said. “Many of them were begging for water. Each person had to have only one sip, just enough to reach their stomach.”

But even when people make it to Tawila, the camp’s makeshift tents offer little protection from the rainy season just beginning.  

WFP assistance

For the Tawila camp’s roughly 400,000 residents, WFP rations of nutrient-packed high-energy biscuits, sorghum, vegetable oil and salt are often their only sustenance.

They are just some of the four million Sudanese that WFP supports monthly.

This assistance has helped reduce catastrophic hunger in parts of Central and West Darfur. However, these gains are fragile: “WFP is ready with trucks full of food assistance to send into El Fasher,” says Corinne Fleischer, WFP’s Director of Supply Chain and Delivery. “We urgently need guarantees of safe passage.”  

The RSF has yet to agree a pause in fighting to allow humanitarian goods to enter the city. 

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World News in Brief: Sudan’s agony continues, Colombian presidential candidate dies, the world celebrates the steelpan

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The Director of Operations and Advocacy at the UN aid coordination office (OCHA), Edem Wosornu, warned on Monday that over 60 people reportedly died from malnutrition during a single week in the besieged government-controlled city of El Fasher in North Darfur State. Most of the deaths are those in vulnerable groups, such as women and children. 

Famine was first detected in the Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur about a year ago, likely expanding to other areas since.    

OCHA is also concerned about ongoing violence in the Kordofan region, including reports of attacks on villages in North Kordofan just last week. Eighteen civilians were reportedly killed and dozens more were wounded.

“It is tragic that we need to underscore on a regular basis that civilians must never be targeted, and all parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric at Monday’s daily briefing in New York.  

Cholera outbreak and response

The UN and humanitarian partners continue to scale up the response to cholera in Sudan, where 100,000 cases have been recorded nationwide since July 2024.  

Since 21 June, there have been 5,300 suspected and confirmed cases and 84 deaths due to the waterborne disease in North Darfur State. Most of these have been in the Tawila locality, where around 330,000 civilians displaced from the Zamzam Camp and El Fasher are sheltering in dire conditions.

UN partners are on the ground responding with cholera treatment centres, but overcrowding, poor sanitation, limited access and the ongoing rainy season are accelerating the spread of disease and restricting aid delivery.  

Nonetheless, on 10 August, a new vaccination campaign supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) began in Khartoum State, targeting 1.1 million people.

Guterres deeply saddened by death of Colombian presidential candidate

Secretary-General António Guterres released a statement on Monday expressing his deep sadness over the death of Colombian presidential candidate and former senator, Miguel Uribe, sending condolences to his family and the Colombian people.

Mr. Uribe’s death followed two months in intensive care after he was shot multiple times during what was reportedly a targeted attack at a campaign rally in the capital of Bogotá on 7 June.  

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, also released a statement expressing his shock and sadness over the death of the presidential candidate.

The top UN officials both noted the active investigations are ongoing into the shooting. A teenager who is believed to have carried out the attack has been arrested but the motive is still unclear, according to news reports.  

Mr. Türk stressed that this death “is a stark reminder of the importance that Colombia’s upcoming elections be conducted with respect for the lives of all, free from violence and in a climate that allows for safe and inclusive participation.”  

The UN rights chief said his office in Colombia will continue to assist Colombian authorities and civil society in their human rights work ahead of the upcoming election.

In the same vein, the Secretary-General urged Colombia’s authorities to take all necessary measures to ensure a peaceful election and security for all candidates taking part.

Let’s hear it for the Caribbean’s own steelpan

11 August marks World Steelpan Day, celebrating the exuberant musical instrument that originated in Trinidad and Tobago and is now enjoyed worldwide.

The steelpan, otherwise known as a steel drum, has roots in the early 20th-century carnival percussion groups of the Caribbean islands and is played with rubber-tipped sticks.

The UN recognises the joyous steelpan for its rich cultural and historical significance as well as its role in promoting sustainable development and diversity.

In honour of the day, the UN General Assembly is encouraging activities that raise awareness of the cultural significance of the beloved instrument and its connection to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This celebration highlights how music and culture can foster inclusive and sustainable communities worldwide. 

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Scores killed in Sudan’s Kordofan region as fighting intensifies

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Amid ongoing communication disruptions in the area, confirming the exact civilian death toll remains difficult, but reports indicate that at least 300 people – including children and pregnant women – were killed in attacks on villages in Bara locality, North Kordofan State, between 10 and 13 July.

During the same period, a series of attacks – including an air strike on a school sheltering displaced families – reportedly killed more than 20 people, in the villages of Al Fula and Abu Zabad in West Kordofan State.  

OCHA is also alarmed by reports of renewed shelling in Al Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, “deepening fears and insecurity among civilians,” the humanitarian coordination agency reported.  

Tragic civilian toll

With thousands of people reportedly killed since the beginning of the conflict between former military allies-turned rivals over two years ago, the crisis in Sudan continues to take a devastating toll on civilians. 

“These incidents are yet another tragic reminder of the relentless toll the conflict is taking on civilians across Sudan,” OCHA reported.

The office emphasises that civilians and civilian infrastructures – including schools, homes, shelters and humanitarian assets – must never be targeted, and called on all parties to the conflict to “fully respect their obligations under international humanitarian law.”

Toll from displacement

Described as “the largest as well as the fastest growing displacement crisis globally,” by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in February 2025, displacement continues amid the fighting.

People fleeing North Kordofan, as well as El Fasher in North Darfur State, continue to seek shelter in the rest of Sudan, including Northern State, with humanitarian partners on the ground reporting more than 3,000 displaced people arriving in the locality of Ad-Dabbah since June.

Although some have received food assistance, the steady influx of newly displaced families is putting additional strain on already stretched resources.  

With the rainy season approaching, OCHA warned that further hardship is likely, particularly as heavy rain and strong winds destroyed shelters and food supplies for about 2,700 displaced people in eastern Sudan this past Sunday. 

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Malnutrition crisis deepens for Sudan’s children as war rages on

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Across the five states that make up Darfur, UNICEF data revealed a 46 per cent increase in the number of children treated for SAM in January to May 2025 compared to the same period last year.

The rate of acute malnutrition has surpassed emergency levels set by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 9 of the 13 localities across Darfur.

In North Darfur alone, over 40,000 children were admitted for SAM treatment in the first five months of the year – double the number from the same period last year.

Besieged and starved

This malnutrition surge comes amid intensifying conflict in North Darfur since April. Entire neighborhoods have been besieged, hospitals targeted by airstrikes, roads rendered impassable while aid convoys have faced looting and violent attacks.

The situation is particularly catastrophic in El Fasher, where humanitarian access has been nearly completely severed since the RSF militia besieged the city – the last held by Government forces in the region – and cut off assistance in April of 2023.

UNICEF successfully delivered a batch of supplies to El Fasher earlier this year, but efforts to send additional aid have been blocked.

“Children in Darfur are being starved by conflict and cut off from the very aid that could save them,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative for Sudan. “This is a moment of truth; children’s lives depend on whether the world chooses to act or look away.”

The crisis has triggered mass displacement in the area: in April, nearly 400,000 people fled the Zamzam camp near El Fasher. Many walked up to 70 kilometres to reach Tawila, where more than 500,000 displaced people survive with little access to food, water, or adequate shelter.

Nationwide crisis

SAM is the deadliest form of malnutrition, and children suffering from it are highly vulnerable to life-threatening complications and face a high risk of death without proper treatment.

And the crisis isn’t limited to the Darfur states – SAM admissions rose by more than 70 per cent in North Kordofan, 174 per cent in Khartoum State and a staggering 683 per cent in Al Jazirah State.

However, the report noted that the rise in admissions in Al Jazirah and Khartoum is partially due to improved security and humanitarian access, enabling more families to reach health centres.

Compounding the crisis is Sudan’s lean season – a period of food scarcity between harvests – which is rapidly increasing the risk of mass child mortality, particularly in areas already nearing famine thresholds.

Cholera outbreaks, measles cases and collapsing health services are further aggravating the crisis, putting vulnerable children at even greater risk.

UNICEF response

UNICEF and its partners are saving lives by treating the wounded and malnourished, drilling wells and distributing food. But despite their best efforts, the violence is driving needs faster than they can be met.

UNICEF is calling on all parties to allow unimpeded humanitarian access to affected populations and urges renewed diplomatic pressure on all sides for a cessation of hostilities.

The agency is also appealing to the international community for more lifesaving funds. An additional $200 million is needed this year to sustain and expand essential nutrition services, including treatment for acute malnutrition.

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South Sudan’s longest cholera outbreak enters critical stage

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The outbreak – which started in September 2024 and was confirmed a month later – comes amidst a protracted humanitarian crisis exacerbated by rising intercommunal violence, climate shocks such as flooding and catastrophic hunger.  

“Now, more than ever, collective action is needed to reduce tensions, resolve political differences and make tangible progress in implementing peace,” said Anita Kiki Gbeho, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan.  

Alarming escalation

Since the cholera outbreak was declared in October 2024, UN agencies and partners have documented over 80,000 cholera cases and 1,400 deaths.  

This is in addition to regional outbreaks of mpox, hepatitis and measles among other communicable diseases.

South Sudanese authorities, civil society and UN agencies held an inter-ministerial meeting on Monday to discuss what they called an “alarming escalation” in the spread of the outbreak. 

“This is not merely a public health crisis, but a multi-sectoral emergency exacerbated by flooding, displacement, and limited access to basic services,” the ministers wrote in a communiqué released.  

The group resolved to facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access to areas which already have outbreaks and to other areas at risk for outbreaks. The Government of South Sudan will coordinate these efforts.

Partners will also work to preposition materials, improve water and sanitation infrastructure and coordinate proactive and reactive vaccination campaigns.  

Time is running out

With the peak of the rainy season on the horizon, the next eight weeks are critical in containing and mitigating the outbreak before severe flooding begins.  

“Time is of the essence to prevent a further escalation of the outbreak,” the officials wrote.  

Floods more than double the frequency of cholera outbreaks by imperiling access to clean water and impeding humanitarian access to affected areas. And with rising global temperatures making floods more severe, millions of South Sudanese who were not previously in regions of concern may now be at risk for cholera outbreaks.

A preventable disease  

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by consuming contaminated water or food. Although highly communicable, it is preventable through proper hygiene, regular handwashing, safe food preparation and storage, improved sanitation infrastructure, and vaccination.

Symptoms typically include watery diarrhoea. Most cases are mild to moderate and can be treated effectively with oral rehydration salts (ORS) mixed with clean, boiled water.

However, in severe cases, cholera can be fatal—sometimes within hours—if not treated promptly.

Infected individuals can also transmit the disease through their faeces for up to ten days, even if they show no symptoms.

Need for additional funds

In South Sudan, the already inadequate water and sanitation infrastructure and overstretched public health system has further deteriorated as a result of displacement and conflict. This has ripened the conditions for the spread of cholera.

The UN and its partners are working quickly to preposition emergency supplies, especially in these previously low-risk areas, but they are hampered by funding shortfalls. Agencies estimate that they will need $1.69 billion – of which they have only received $368 million – to address the many intersecting humanitarian needs in the country.  

Nevertheless, the group of ministers insisted that this outbreak is and must remain a priority for all involved.

“Cholera response and flood preparedness must be treated as urgent national priorities,” they said in the communiqué. 

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Bearing the brunt of war: UNICEF chief meets some of Sudan’s 700,000 child refugees crossing into Chad

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In neighbouring Chad, children make up 61 per cent of the 860,000 Sudanese refugees and a staggering 68 per cent of the 274,000 Chadian returnees – that’s over 700,000 young lives uprooted by violence.

Chad, already one of the world’s poorest countries, has the fourth-highest child mortality rate in the world, despite significant progress in recent years.

The Government of Chad and humanitarian partners have been providing support, but the migration crisis remains overwhelming: measles and malnutrition are spreading, the risk of Sudan’s cholera outbreak spilling into Chad remains high.

Only one in three children are enrolled in school and essential services are stretched to the brink.

Horrific memories 

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Catherine Russell concluded a three-day visit to Chad on Monday, where she met with refugee children and families displaced by the fighting and chaos across the Sudanese border.

“Hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable children are bearing the brunt of both the war in Sudan and the lack of essential services for those who have fled to Chad,” Russell said.

In eastern Chad, Ms. Russell “met women and children who arrived with little but the horrific memories they carry” and heard their stories of killings, mass rapes and homes burned to the ground.

She visited families newly arrived in Adré, an overwhelmed border town now hosting six refugees for every resident.

Russell also met President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno to reaffirm UNICEF’s long-term commitment to Chad and discuss support for the country’s newly launched National Development Plan 2030.

“The people of Chad have shown extraordinary generosity,” she said. “But they cannot face this crisis alone. We must stand in solidarity with them – and with the children of Sudan – by strengthening national systems and communities on the frontlines.”

Ramping up response

In Adré and surrounding areas, UNICEF-supported teams have vaccinated thousands of children, provided safe drinking water to tens of thousands, established child-friendly spaces and set up services for survivors of gender-based violence.

The agency is also working closely with Chadian authorities to scale up system-wide investments in health, including polio vaccination campaigns, as well as education and social protection.

But urgent funding gaps remain. Of the $114 million required for UNICEF’s 2025 humanitarian response in Chad, only 34 per cent has been secured.

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UN rights chief calls on South Sudan’s warring parties to end renewed fighting

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At least 75 civilians have been killed in hostilities between the national army (SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army-In Opposition (SPLA-IO) – which is both a political party and militia group loyal to First Vice President Riek Machar – and their respective allied armed groups, said UN human rights office, OHCHR, in a press release.

Thousands have been displaced from their homes.

South Sudan was plunged into civil war in 2013 between supporters of the President Salva Kiir and his rival Mr. Machar but a 2018 peace accord led to a fragile power-sharing agreement.

Escalating hostilities “portend a real risk of further exacerbating the already dire human rights and humanitarian situation,” said Volker Türk, head of the UN human rights office (OHCHR), urging all parties to the conflict to “urgently pull back from the brink.”

Intensifying hostilities

The latest armed violence erupted in February when a militia group identified as the White Army reportedly launched a series of attacks in Upper Nile State, OHCHR said.

Hostilities intensified between 3 May and 20 May with reports of indiscriminate aerial bombardments and river and ground offensives by the SSPDF on SPLA-IO positions in the states of Jonglei and Upper Nile.

Civilian displacement further increased on 21 May because of the SPLA-IO and allies’ counter-offensive in Jonglei State.

“I urge all parties to uphold the 2018 peace agreement,” said the UN human rights chief, calling for the warring parties to “ensure protection of civilians and civilian objects,” and facilitating “humanitarian access in line with their obligations under international law.”

Concern of arbitrary detention

Between 5 and 26 March, at least 55 high-ranking government officials affiliated with the SPLM-IP, among them civilians, have been arrested across the country. Notably, South Sudan’s first vice-president, ministers, members of parliament and military officers were among the dozens of politicians who have been detained.

“I am concerned that many of the detentions are arbitrary in nature,” Mr Türk said, as these arrests were conducted without warrant or due process.”

Mr Türk called for the immediate and unconditional release of those arbitrarily detained, as he urged for authorities to grant the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) access to National Security Service detention sites to assess the welfare of those detained there.

Finally, the UN also urged the authorities to take “prompt, effective and meaningful” steps to halt the spread of hate speech in the country.

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Hundreds killed in Sudan’s camps for displaced people

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Violent clashes between armed militias and forces of the military Government have escalated dramatically across North Darfur in recent weeks as Sudan marked two years of civil war.

The El Fasher and Zamzam camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) who were forced to flee their homes because of the conflict, were disproportionately affected.

“The bombs were falling on the hospital. The sick and their mothers were killed. Those of us who survived left with only our children on our backs,” said Hawa, a mother of three who was inside a hospital in the Zamzam camp during the shelling, speaking to the UN Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).

Horror and displacement

The attacks have destroyed critical infrastructure, halted water trucking services, and led to the collapse of already fragile health services, according to the UN.

Zamzam IDP camp, which prior to the recent shelling housed at least 400,000 people, has now been nearly emptied. The UN has reported that over 332,000 people have fled the camp.

Humanitarian organisations are warning of increasing reports of sexual violence, the targeting of civilians, and forced recruitment – particularly by elements of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia.

Aid under strain

The sudden and massive influx of IDPs into already overwhelmed towns and host communities is increasing the strain on health services, water infrastructure, and local food systems.

While IDP camps face soaring demand for emergency shelters, clean water, food, and protection services, fuel shortages have led to the near-total suspension of water trucking operations in many areas, including El Fasher.

The sick and their mothers were killed. Those of us who survived left with only our children on our backs

In Central Darfur, health partners report rising levels of malnutrition, especially among children.

“In the past, we had three to four meals per day. For the past two years, giving [my children] one meal a day is a miracle,” Hawa recounted.

Although the UN is currently delivering life-saving food assistance in Tawila — North Darfur, an immediate scale-up in humanitarian assistance is needed to prevent tens of thousands of newly-displaced people from falling further into acute vulnerability.

UN agencies and their partners are urgently appealing for increased funding to avert further loss of life and irreversible humanitarian consequences.

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