UN Issues Stark Warning Over Potential Intensification of Conflict in Sudan's Kordofan Region
The United Nations urges an end to the violence in Kordofan as fears mount over impending intensified fighting.
The United Nations has issued a 'stark warning' regarding the escalating situation in Sudan's Kordofan region, where preparations for intensified conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese regular army have been noted.
The RSF, which has been engaged in combat with the Sudanese military since April 2023, declared on Thursday that they had agreed to a humanitarian truce proposed by mediators.
Following their capture of El-Fasher in late October—the last major stronghold of the army in western Darfur—the paramilitaries appear to be redirecting their focus toward Khartoum and Kordofan.
This shift has heightened concerns, especially as El-Fasher's fall granted the RSF control over all five state capitals in Darfur, sparking fears of a potential partition of Sudan along an east-west axis.
Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, expressed deep concern over the plight of civilians trapped in El-Fasher.
He stated that despite the city being under siege, many civilians have been subjected to 'abominable atrocities,' including summary executions, rape, and ethnically motivated violence.
For those who managed to escape, the exit routes have reportedly witnessed 'unimaginable cruelty.' Turk urged countries to take immediate action to halt the 'cataclysmic violence' unfolding in Kordofan, emphasizing that continued military support for warring parties perpetuating serious violations must cease.
Reports from witnesses corroborate these concerns.
According to accounts from individuals who fled El-Fasher after the RSF's takeover and reached Al-Dabba, over 1,000 km away in northern Sudan, and Tawila, civilians were met with brutal violence, including arbitrary killings, drone strikes, and being run over by RSF trucks.
Such acts underscore the dire conditions under which civilians are living, caught in the midst of a conflict that threatens to escalate further.
The UN's call for an immediate end to the violence in both Darfur and Kordofan has been echoed with an urgency that reflects the deteriorating situation on the ground.
As fears mount over impending intensified hostilities, international attention and decisive action are deemed necessary to prevent further atrocities and carnage in a region already plagued by long-standing conflict.
The RSF, which has been engaged in combat with the Sudanese military since April 2023, declared on Thursday that they had agreed to a humanitarian truce proposed by mediators.
Following their capture of El-Fasher in late October—the last major stronghold of the army in western Darfur—the paramilitaries appear to be redirecting their focus toward Khartoum and Kordofan.
This shift has heightened concerns, especially as El-Fasher's fall granted the RSF control over all five state capitals in Darfur, sparking fears of a potential partition of Sudan along an east-west axis.
Volker Turk, the UN human rights chief, expressed deep concern over the plight of civilians trapped in El-Fasher.
He stated that despite the city being under siege, many civilians have been subjected to 'abominable atrocities,' including summary executions, rape, and ethnically motivated violence.
For those who managed to escape, the exit routes have reportedly witnessed 'unimaginable cruelty.' Turk urged countries to take immediate action to halt the 'cataclysmic violence' unfolding in Kordofan, emphasizing that continued military support for warring parties perpetuating serious violations must cease.
Reports from witnesses corroborate these concerns.
According to accounts from individuals who fled El-Fasher after the RSF's takeover and reached Al-Dabba, over 1,000 km away in northern Sudan, and Tawila, civilians were met with brutal violence, including arbitrary killings, drone strikes, and being run over by RSF trucks.
Such acts underscore the dire conditions under which civilians are living, caught in the midst of a conflict that threatens to escalate further.
The UN's call for an immediate end to the violence in both Darfur and Kordofan has been echoed with an urgency that reflects the deteriorating situation on the ground.
As fears mount over impending intensified hostilities, international attention and decisive action are deemed necessary to prevent further atrocities and carnage in a region already plagued by long-standing conflict.