Türk Urges Letting Aid Into Sudan and Keeping Weapons Out

Moatinoon
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called for the immediate entry of humanitarian aid into Sudan and an end to the flow of weapons into the country, warning that nearly three years of war have brought the nation close to becoming “a land of despair.�

Addressing the 61st session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Türk said his office’s latest report documents ongoing patterns of violence against civilians—including killings, rape, and torture—with civilian deaths in 2025 rising to more than two-and-a-half times the previous year, alongside thousands missing or unaccounted for.

He said fighting between the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces has involved explosive weapons used in densely populated areas and attacks on schools, hospitals, markets, and places of worship in blatant violation of international humanitarian law. The growing use of long-range drones, he added, has expanded civilian harm to areas previously far from front lines.

Türk stated that RSF strikes on critical infrastructure—including power stations, dams, and fuel depots—have had devastating civilian consequences, citing an attack on electrical facilities in Kosti that crippled water treatment systems and fueled a cholera outbreak.

The report also documented more than 500 victims of conflict-related sexual violence in 2025, including gang rape and sexual slavery, as well as a sharp rise in summary executions, arbitrary detentions, torture, and inhumane prison conditions under both sides’ control.

He warned that the RSF’s capture of Zamzam camp and its offensive on El Fasher last year left thousands dead and may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, cautioning that similar atrocities could recur as the conflict’s epicenter shifts toward Kordofan.

According to Türk, the war has forced 13 million children out of school and accelerated the militarization of society, including child recruitment, while civic space shrinks amid attacks on journalists and rights defenders.

He urged states to pressure the warring parties to comply with international law, protect civilians, respect the Darfur arms embargo, and halt weapons supplies to Sudan. He also stressed the need for accountability, including possible referral of the situation to the International Criminal Court, and welcomed recent UN Security Council sanctions on individuals linked to atrocities.

Türk concluded that stronger diplomatic pressure is urgently needed to secure a humanitarian truce leading to a permanent ceasefire, peace negotiations, and a transition to inclusive civilian rule, noting that the resilience of the Sudanese people—especially women and youth—remains the main barrier preventing despair from prevailing.