UN official decries attacks against civilians in Al Jazirah state

The top UN humanitarian official in Sudan has raised alarm over a sharp escalation of violence in a region near the capital, Khartoum, where recent attacks reportedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have claimed more than 120 lives.

Preliminary reports indicate that between 20 and 25 October, fighters from the paramilitary RSF launched major attacks across eastern parts of the Al Jazirah state (also spelt Gezira), indiscriminately shooting at civilians and committing sexual violence against women and girls.

“I am shocked and deeply appalled that human rights violations of the kind witnessed in Darfur last year – such as rape, targeted attacks, sexual violence, and mass killings – are being repeated in Al Jazirah state. These are atrocious crimes,” said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, in a statement on Saturday.

“Women, children, and the most vulnerable are bearing the brunt of a conflict that has already taken far too many lives.”

RSF fighters also reportedly looted markets and homes, and set farms on fire.

Residents of villages such as Safita Ghanoubab, Al Hilaliya, and Al Aziba were reportedly assaulted, humiliated and threatened, forcing many to flee for safety. Those who remain continue to face severe threats.

Denouncing the attacks, Ms. Nkweta-Salami stressed that civilians must be protected wherever they are.

“Attacking civilians, civilian objects, and public infrastructure is prohibited by International Humanitarian Law. It is unacceptable and must stop immediately.”

Efforts to verify and assist

Humanitarian partners are gathering more information, including verifying the death toll, and mobilising to assist those displaced by the violence.

Reports suggest that many of those who fled sought shelter in Gedaref (also spelled Al Qadarif) and Kassala states, which are already hosting hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs).

Sudan has been embroiled in a brutal power struggle between rival military factions – the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary RSF – since April 2023. The war has displaced more than 11 million people, including 2.9 million who have fled into neighboring countries.

Worsening crisis

The conflict has also caused a severe humanitarian crisis, with nearly 25 million people in need of assistance.

Hunger and malnutrition are widespread, with 13 million people facing acute food insecurity. Famine conditions have already confirmed in Zamzam camp in North Darfur.

Of particular concern are the 3.7 million children under five suffering from severe acute malnutrition. Without immediate medical intervention, they face a much higher risk of death from preventable diseases.

Appeal for access

In a joint statement from Port Sudan on Friday, UNHCR Assistant High Commissioner Raouf Mazou and UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban urged the Sudanese authorities to facilitate safe and unimpeded access to communities in need.

“The reality on the ground remains fraught with logistical and administrative barriers. These access constraints are hindering the UN’s ability to deliver life-saving supplies and protection to the most vulnerable communities, and effectively monitor the delivery of aid to ensure that it reaches the intended recipients,” they said.

They also called for the re-establishment of UN offices in Zalingei in Central Darfur and Kadugli in South Kordofan, and the simplification of cross-line and cross-border aid approvals.

Despite these challenges, UNHCR and UNICEF reiterated their commitment to providing life-saving support and urged the international community to support a political resolution to the conflict and removal of bureaucratic and security obstacles.

“The people of Sudan need our collective action now. We must respond with the urgency and scale that this crisis demands,” Mazou and Chaiban stressed.