More than 400 people have been killed in recent attacks by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Darfur region, according to United Nations sources.
The RSF, which has been fighting Sudan’s regular army since April 2023, has intensified assaults on refugee camps near El-Fasher as it tries to capture the last major Darfur city not under its control. In recent days, the group has carried out ground and air strikes on El-Fasher and nearby displacement camps, including Zamzam and Abu Shouk.
Between last Thursday and Saturday alone, the UN human rights office confirmed 148 deaths, though spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told AFP this figure is a "significant underestimate" as investigations continue. She added that the toll does not account for more recent violence, with credible sources reporting over 400 fatalities.
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk condemned the attacks, stating they highlight the international community’s failure to act despite repeated warnings about escalating risks to civilians. "Hundreds of civilians, including at least nine aid workers, have reportedly been killed," he said, warning that the violence has worsened an already severe humanitarian crisis in El-Fasher, which has been under an RSF siege since May 2023.
Turk emphasized that the RSF is obligated under international law to protect civilians—including from ethnically targeted violence—and to allow safe evacuation routes. As the conflict enters its third year, he urged all parties to take concrete steps toward ending the violence.
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