The United Nations has expressed deep alarm over escalating violence and grave human rights violations against civilians in El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur state, following its capture by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia last week. UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq reported disturbing accounts of executions, sexual violence, extortion, and other brutal acts committed against civilians in the aftermath of the takeover.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), nearly 82,000 people have fled El Fasher and nearby areas since 26 October, seeking safety in Tawila—a region already overwhelmed by hundreds of thousands of people displaced from earlier fighting. The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) warned that women and girls fleeing the city have faced rape, abduction, and other forms of extreme violence during their escape. Local sources reported that around 1,300 individuals with gunshot wounds have arrived in Tawila after being attacked while fleeing the violence.
Haq reiterated the UN’s urgent call for an immediate ceasefire and demanded that all parties respect international humanitarian law. He emphasized that the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel must remain a top priority as conditions in the region continue to deteriorate.
Meanwhile, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) reported that neighboring Chad is now hosting approximately 1.4 million refugees, the majority of them from Darfur. With the situation in El Fasher worsening, the agency anticipates another large influx of refugees into Chad, placing even greater pressure on already strained host communities.
