At least 542 killed in North Darfur in past three weeks: UN
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The UN reports at least 542 civilians killed in Sudan's North Darfur in three weeks, warning the real toll may be higher as the battle for El-Fasher escalates.
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Sudanese displaced families take shelter in a school after being evacuated by the Sudanese army from areas once controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in Omdurman, Sudan, on March 23, 2025. (AP Photo, File)
At least 542 civilians have been confirmed killed in Sudan’s North Darfur region over the past three weeks, the United Nations reported on Thursday, warning that the actual death toll is likely much higher.
“The horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in a statement condemning the ongoing violence in the country’s brutal civil war.
Since April 15, 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), under the command of his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The war has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and caused what humanitarian agencies describe as the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis.
The battle for El-Fasher, the last major city in Darfur not under RSF control, has intensified in recent weeks, as the RSF ramps up its offensive to regain momentum after losing Khartoum last month.
According to Turk, a recent RSF attack on El-Fasher and the Abu Shouk camp killed at least 40 civilians, contributing to the sharp rise in the death toll.
“Everything must be done to protect civilians trapped amid dire conditions in and around El-Fasher,” Turk urged.
Disturbing reports of executions in Khartoum
In addition to the fighting in Darfur, Turk also highlighted alarming reports of extrajudicial executions in Khartoum State, citing videos posted on social media that allegedly show at least 30 men in civilian clothing being rounded up and executed by men in RSF uniforms in the al-Salha area of southern Omdurman. One RSF commander later appeared in a video acknowledging the killings.
These incidents came shortly after reports of dozens of people executed by the pro-SAF al-Baraa Brigade in southern Khartoum, accused of collaborating with the RSF.
“Deliberately taking the life of a civilian or anyone no longer directly taking part in hostilities is a war crime,” Turk stated, reaffirming international humanitarian law.
Turk said he had personally alerted both the RSF and SAF leadership to the catastrophic human rights consequences of their war, concluding that “These harrowing consequences are a daily, lived reality for millions of Sudanese. It is well past time for this conflict to stop."
As the Sudan humanitarian crisis worsens, international calls are growing louder for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the protection of civilians, especially in areas like El-Fasher, where the threat of mass atrocities continues to rise.
Sudan war escalates as RSF vows painful strikes
Late last month, the Sudan war escalated as the RSF declared the conflict had entered a "new phase," threatening to launch what they called "painful strikes" against the Sudanese army.
Basha Tibiq, advisor to the RSF commander, confirmed that the recent attack on Wadi Seidna Air Base, where several warplanes, drones, and weapons depots were destroyed, marks a turning point. "This operation is a message that the war has now entered a new phase," Tibiq said.
Tibiq added that "the coming days will witness harsh strikes on strategic locations," naming Port Sudan as the next key target in the ongoing conflict.
The RSF carried out a series of intense drone attacks early Saturday in Omdurman, just one day after violent clashes in southern Omdurman, where RSF forces attempted to breach Sudanese army positions.
