UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk today expressed outrage at the large-scale attack by the Rapid Support Forces on the besieged city of El Fasher and the adjoining Abu Shouk camp for the internally displaced that left scores of civilians dead.
Preliminary information obtained by the UN Human Rights Office indicates that at least 57 civilians were killed in the 11 August attack on El Fasher, including 40 internally displaced people in Abu Shouk camp, in Sudan’s North Darfur state. The Office is also following up on allegations of executions of IDPs in the camp during the attack.
“It is with dismay that we yet again witness an unimaginable horror inflicted upon civilians in El Fasher, who have endured over a year of siege, persistent attacks and dire humanitarian conditions,” said Türk. “Such repeated attacks on civilians, which raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law, are totally unacceptable and must stop.”
Monday’s attacks are the latest in a series of RSF assaults on camps for displaced people in and around El Fasher. Between January and June, the Abu Shouk camp came under attack by the RSF at least 16 times, leaving at least 212 IDPs dead and 111 others injured.
“Once again, I am raising the alarm about the serious risk of ethnically motivated persecution as the RSF tries to seize control of El Fasher and Abu Shouk camp,” said Türk.
UN Human Rights staff recently travelled to eastern Chad and interviewed more than 150 survivors of the RSF attacks on Zamzam camp in April. Their testimonies corroborated previous documentation of serious human rights violations and abuses against civilians during the deadly attack on Zamzam camp and their flight to Tawila, including killings, widespread rape and gang rape, enforced disappearances and torture. They also said that there are no safe exit routes from El Fasher.
The UN Human Rights Chief reiterated his call on all parties to take urgent measures to ensure the protection of civilians, including safe passage out of conflict-affected areas. He also urged them to agree promptly to humanitarian pauses in besieged areas, so that aid can reach those in need.
“I urge third States to use all their influence to put an end to these violations,” said Türk. He also called for those responsible to be brought to account. “Accountability is crucial to break this cycle of persistent and egregious violations,” he said.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).