Over 1,850 Sudanese civilians killed in North Darfur this year, UN says, calls for El-Fasher siege to end
More than 1,850 Sudanese civilians have been killed in North Darfur since January, including an estimated 1,350 in the besieged city of El-Fasher, the UN said on Monday.
However, the true toll is likely to be higher because access to the area is restricted and there are communications challenges amid the civil war in Sudan.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said people in El-Fasher and the surrounding areas have endured severe suffering under a lengthy, tightening siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, one of the warring military factions in the country. Malnutrition, disease and violence continue to claim lives daily.
“The secretary-general strongly condemns reports of violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights in El-Fasher, including indiscriminate attacks, targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, gender-based violence, and ethnically motivated attacks,” Dujarric said.
He repeated calls for an immediate end to the siege and for safe, unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians in need.
Dujarric also expressed alarm at the continuing influx of weapons and fighters into Sudan, which is worsening an already desperate situation.
Humanitarian organizations have reported that many civilians are fleeing toward Tawila, and they often arrive malnourished, sick and traumatized after dangerous journeys.
Despite the dangers, UN agencies and their partner organizations are attempting to provide essential aid, including shelter and medical services.
The UN urged both of the warring factions, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, to engage fully with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ envoy for Sudan, and to take swift steps toward reaching a negotiated settlement of the conflict, which began in April 2023.
Fighting has also intensified in North Kordofan state, forcing thousands more people to flee their homes.
“The international community must urgently act to protect civilians and ensure safe humanitarian access, while scaling up support for operations across Darfur and other affected areas in Sudan,” Dujarric said.
