UN Condemns Atrocities in Sudan as RSF Seizes El Fasher; Hundreds Killed in Hospital Attack
- Ahmed Fathi
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
By Ahmed Fathi
UNHQ, New York: The humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan has reached a horrifying new low following reports of mass killings, attacks on hospitals, and widespread displacement after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.
The United Nations condemned what it called “continuing violations of international humanitarian law” amid verified atrocities and mounting evidence of targeted civilian killings.
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the Organization was “horrified by reports of the tragic killing of more than 460 people, both patients and their companions, at the Saudi Maternity Hospital in El Fasher.”
He added that the attack followed a series of assaults and abductions of health workers, marking one of the darkest chapters since the conflict erupted in April 2023.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 185 attacks on health care facilities have been verified, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and 416 injuries among health workers and patients. Nearly 1,000 people were killed in 49 such incidents this year alone.
Displacement and Desperation
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that more than 36,000 people fled El Fasher between Sunday and Tuesday, seeking refuge in nearby localities such as Kebkabiya, Melit, and Tawila.
Many are living in the open with no shelter or sanitation. Reports indicate that women and girls are at heightened risk of sexual violence and abuse.
Thousands of people, including the elderly, injured, and disabled, remain trapped in the city, unable to flee due to insecurity and the lack of transportation.
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher announced an additional $20 million allocation from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support humanitarian efforts in Darfur and the Kordofan region. This adds to $27 million already released earlier this year.
Still, Dujarric warned: “Civilians, humanitarian workers and medical personnel must always be protected.”
Expulsion of WFP Officials
Compounding the crisis, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expelled two senior World Food Program (WFP) officials — the Country Director and Emergency Coordinator — without explanation.
Dujarric called the move “deeply troubling,” noting that it comes at a time when over 24 million Sudanese face acute food insecurity and many communities are “impacted by famine.”
Human Rights Watch: ‘Mass Atrocities’ and Ethnic Targeting
A separate investigation by Human Rights Watch (HRW) described “rampant abuse of fleeing civilians” by the RSF following its capture of El Fasher on October 26.
Verified videos show RSF fighters executing civilians, celebrating over bodies, and mocking the wounded. HRW said the footage bears “the hallmarks of the Rapid Support Forces’ record of mass atrocities.”
“The horrific images from El Fasher bear the hallmarks of the RSF’s record of mass atrocities,” said Federico Borello, HRW’s interim executive director. “If the world doesn’t act urgently, civilians will bear the full brunt of more heinous crimes.”
HRW has previously documented mass executions, ethnic targeting, and crimes against humanity committed by the RSF in West Darfur, noting that these actions may amount to genocide against the Massalit and other non-Arab communities.
Mounting Calls for Action
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that the “risk of further large-scale, ethnically motivated violations and atrocities in El Fasher is mounting by the day.”
HRW urged the UN Security Council to impose targeted sanctions on RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”) and his deputy Abdel Raheem Hamdan Dagalo, and called on the United Arab Emirates — alleged to be the RSF’s principal backer — to pressure the group to halt its attacks on civilians.
Investigations by HRW and independent journalists have revealed UAE-linked arms transfers and the presence of foreign mercenaries, including Spanish-speaking fighters from Latin America, operating alongside RSF units in Darfur.
A Crisis Without End
The conflict in Sudan, now in its 19th month, has displaced millions and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Entire regions are teetering on the brink of famine.
Despite repeated international appeals for a ceasefire, the RSF continues to defy Security Council resolutions, expanding its control across Darfur while government forces retreat.
As Dujarric concluded grimly from UN Headquarters:
“Humanitarian needs in Sudan have never been greater — unprecedented hunger, unprecedented insecurity, and unprecedented suffering.”