OHCHR chief appeals for greater protection of civilians in El Fasher, Sudan

By Anjali Sharma

UNIITED NATIONS – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Thursday said that over 500 civilians have been killed in North Darfur state, Sudan, over the past three weeks

“The horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds,” Volker Türk said in a statement.

He called to end to the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and former ally the Rapid Support Forces in its third year.

Turk noted that the RSF launched coordinated attacks from multiple directions on the North Darfur capital El Fasher and nearby Abu Shouk camp, killing at least 40 civilians.

OHCHR confirmed number of civilians killed in the region to  542 in just the last three weeks, he said, although the actual death toll is likely much higher.

“My fears are all the greater given the ominous warning by the RSF of ‘bloodshed’ ahead of imminent battles with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their associated armed movements,” Mr. Türk said.

“Everything must be done to protect civilians trapped amid dire conditions in and around El Fasher.”

The reports of extrajudicial executions in Khartoum state are also extremely disturbing, he added.

Mr. Turk has personally alerted both leaders of the RSF and SAF to the catastrophic human rights consequences of the war.

“These harrowing consequences are a daily, lived reality for millions of Sudanese. It is well past time for this conflict to stop,” he said.

UN Personal Envoy for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, was in Cairo this week where he met with senior Egyptian officials, including Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, to discuss the Sudan crisis.

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, told reporters in New York that “They shared the view that an inclusive Sudanese-led political path is needed to restore peace in the country, preserving the unity of Sudan, its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Mr. Lamamra exchanged views with Ahmed Aboul Gheit, the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, on coordinating efforts between the UN, the Arab League and concerned multilateral organizations to advance a lasting peace in Sudan.