More than 700 people have lost their lives in the besieged city of al-Fashir in Sudan’s North Darfur state since May, according to U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
Calling for an immediate end to the violence, Türk implored the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to lift the siege, stating, “The relentless fighting is devastating lives every day on a massive scale. This alarming situation cannot continue. The RSF must end this horrible siege.”
The U.N. rights office documented at least 782 civilian deaths and over 1,143 injuries since May. Evidence, partly gathered from interviews with displaced survivors, indicates intense shelling by RSF forces on densely populated residential areas, alongside airstrikes carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces.
The U.N. has warned that these attacks on civilians may constitute war crimes. Both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces have denied targeting civilians, each blaming the other for the violence in al-Fashir and its surroundings.
The ongoing 18-month conflict between Sudan’s army and the RSF has plunged the nation into a severe humanitarian crisis. Over 12 million people have been displaced from their homes, while U.N. agencies struggle to provide aid amid the violence.
Al-Fashir remains one of the most volatile frontlines in the Darfur region, with the RSF vying to seize control. Observers warn that an RSF victory could result in widespread ethnic retaliation, as seen in West Darfur last year.
Earlier this month, the RSF attacked al-Fashir’s main hospital, killing at least nine people, according to local reports.
In the nearby Zamzam camp, home to over half a million people suffering from famine, RSF artillery fire over the past two weeks has forced thousands to flee. The camp’s residents face dire living conditions, with food shortages and inadequate medical supplies exacerbating the crisis.
Despite international condemnation, both warring factions have shown little willingness to de-escalate. The U.N. continues to call for an end to hostilities, emphasizing the urgent need for humanitarian access and protections for civilians.
“The people of al-Fashir have endured unimaginable suffering,” Türk said. “The world cannot stand by as atrocities mount.”
