Updated: 27 October 2025 23:28:14
UN Warns of “Widespread Atrocities” in El-Fasher and Bara
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The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has warned that the risk of “widespread, ethnically motivated atrocities is increasing by the day” following the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) announcement of control over the cities of El-Fasher and Bara in North Kordofan State.
In a statement issued Monday, Türk said, “The risk of further ethnically motivated violations and widespread atrocities in El-Fasher is growing every day.”
He stressed that “urgent and concrete measures are needed to ensure the protection of civilians in the city and to secure safe passage for those attempting to reach safer areas.”
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had previously warned that the RSF and allied Arab militias have been targeting members of the Zaghawa, Masalit, and Fur communities.
Hundreds of Masalit civilians were killed in West Darfur — including the state’s former governor, Khamis Abdallah Abakar — when RSF forces overran the state in 2023.
Türk said the OHCHR had received reports of summary executions of civilians attempting to flee, believed to be ethnically motivated, as well as attacks on individuals no longer taking part in hostilities. He noted that verified videos show dozens of unarmed men being shot or lying dead on the ground surrounded by RSF fighters accusing them of supporting the Sudanese Armed Forces.
The statement added that hundreds of people, including a journalist, were detained while trying to escape, amid strong indications of sexual violence — particularly against women and girls — given the patterns of previous abuses in the region.
It further reported that five men were summarily executed by RSF fighters after trying to bring food supplies into El-Fasher, which has been under siege for 18 months. Summary executions of civilians were also reported in the city of Bara, North Kordofan, following RSF control, with victims accused of supporting the Sudanese Armed Forces.
The High Commissioner called on the RSF to take concrete steps to halt and prevent violations, reminding its leaders of their obligation to “protect civilians and ensure the passage of essential supplies.”
Türk renewed his appeal to influential member states to act swiftly to prevent large-scale atrocities, emphasizing that ensuring accountability for violations of international law is essential to avoid further cycles of violence.
