Sudan’s El Fasher siege: UN humanitarians killed as refugee crisis intensifies

Families fleeing conflict in Sudan arrive at a transit centre in Aweil, South Sudan (© UNHCR/Reason Moses Runyanga)

In a new report, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) has detailed the catastrophic humanitarian situation unfolding in El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s North Darfur state.

The city has been under siege for seven months by fighters from the powerful militia known as the RSF, which has been battling Government forces for control of Sudan since April last year. Thousands of civilians are trapped, leaving at least 782 civilians dead and over 1,143 injured.

The report, based on 52 interviews conducted in October and November with survivors who fled El Fasher, reveals a widespread use of explosive weapons in populated areas by the Rapid Support Forces and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) – together with their allied militias.

These actions raise serious concerns about violations of international humanitarian law, including potential war crimes.

Hospitals and camps targeted

The report highlights attacks on key civilian infrastructure, including hospitals and camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs).

The Al-Saudi Maternity Hospital, the last remaining public hospital in El Fasher providing surgical and reproductive health services, has been repeatedly shelled by the RSF.

Tumbasi Medical Centre was similarly targeted in August, resulting in the deaths of 23 people and injuries to 60 more.

The report also documents increased cases of sexual violence since the siege began, exacerbating the suffering of vulnerable populations.

The Zamzam IDP camp, located 15 km south of El Fasher and home to hundreds of thousands of displaced people, has been shelled six times by the RSF, reportedly killing at least 15 civilians.

“Attacks against the civilian population and protected persons and objects, including medical facilities, may amount to war crimes,” said Li Fung, the UN High Commissioner’s Representative in Sudan.

Risk of escalation

The situation in El Fasher remains dire, with the report warning of potential large-scale attacks on Zamzam camp and the city itself

“Any large-scale attack on Zamzam camp and El Fasher city will catapult civilian suffering to catastrophic levels,” Mr. Türk cautioned.

Rights office, OHCHR, has called on all parties – as well as the international community – to engage in mediation efforts and immediately end hostilities.

WFP workers killed

The World Food Programme (WFP) mourned the deaths of three staff members in the Blue Nile state, killed during an aerial bombardment on 19 December.

WFP Executive DirectorCindy McCain condemned the attack, calling for accountability.

“Any loss of life in humanitarian service is unconscionable. Humanitarians are not, and must never be, a target,” Ms. McCain gravely stated.

“2024 is the deadliest year on record for aid workers in Sudan. Yet despite significant threats to their personal safety, they continue to do all they can to provide vital support wherever it is needed,” underscored Secretary-General António Guterres in a statement released by his spokesperson.

Refugee crisis at the border

Meanwhile, the spillover from the war between rival militaries is overwhelming neighbouring South Sudan.

UNHCR warns that over 80,000 people have fled into South Sudan in just three weeks, joining the more than one million Sudanese refugees already there.

“The recent surge in arrivals in South Sudan is overwhelming services in border areas, and funding for the humanitarian response remains insufficient,” said Marie-Helene Verney, UNHCR Representative in South Sudan.

Call for accountability

The UN is calling for a renewed push for mediation and increased international support to prevent further civilian suffering.

Ms. Fung expressed the need for accountability and compliance with international law particularly due to “the Jeddah Declaration of Commitments that was signed by both parties in May 2023.”

The OHCHR report also underscores the urgent need for a thorough investigation into potential war crimes and for those responsible to be held accountable.

Emergency funds for Egypt

The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, has allocated $6 million from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to address the humanitarian needs of refugees fleeing conflict in Sudan to Egypt, in support of the ongoing response there.

The conflict in Sudan has created the world’s fastest-growing displacement crisis, the UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters on Friday.

"Of the more than three million people who have sought protection across Sudan’s borders since April of last year, some 1.2 million are being hosted by Egypt - more than in any other country - according to recent data from the Egyptian Government," he told reporters at the daily briefing in New York. 

Source: https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/12/1158451