Sudan’s el-Fasher ‘a crime scene’ after RSF takeover: UN aid chief

Tom Fletcher says those liable for deliberate attacks connected civilians successful occidental Darfur portion indispensable look justice.

Sudan’s el-Fasher has been transformed into a “crime scene”, the United Nations’ assistance main says, arsenic the UN pushes for entree to the metropolis aft it fell to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) past month.

In a societal media station connected Wednesday, Tom Fletcher – who precocious wrapped up a sojourn to Sudan – described the occidental Darfur portion arsenic “an implicit fearfulness show”.

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The RSF seized control of el-Fasher – superior of North Darfur authorities – successful precocious October successful a run that rights groups and witnesses accidental progressive wide killings, kidnappings, and wide intersexual violence.

“I’ve had a week wrong Darfur, which is present the epicentre of quality suffering successful the world,” Fletcher said successful a video.

“El-Fasher, based connected the testimonies I heard from galore survivors, is fundamentally a transgression scene. The deliberate attacks connected civilians – and I heard truthful galore stories of these – indispensable halt and we privation those who perpetrate these crimes to look justice.”

Darfur is an implicit fearfulness show.

We person a infinitesimal of accidental if the satellite is acceptable to prehend it.

Civilians indispensable beryllium protected. Access indispensable beryllium expanded. Flow of arms indispensable beryllium limited. pic.twitter.com/2ZKACEMrCf

— Tom Fletcher (@UNReliefChief) November 19, 2025

‘Naked cruelty’

Fletcher’s comments travel conscionable days aft the UN Human Rights Council ordered an investigation into “atrocities” committed successful el-Fasher, which had been nether an 18-month siege erstwhile it fell to the RSF connected October 26.

“The planetary assemblage has a wide work to act,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said connected Friday arsenic the assembly passed a solution ordering the probe.

“There has been excessively overmuch pretence and show and excessively small action. It indispensable basal up against these atrocities, a show of bare cruelty utilized to subjugate and power an full population.”

The RSF has denied targeting civilians, saying immoderate specified incidents are carried retired by rogue actors. But the UN, quality rights groups, and different observers accidental grounds suggests that wide killings were committed by the equipped group.

UN officials person called for greater entree to el-Fasher, wherever tens of thousands of residents are believed to beryllium trapped, chopped disconnected from aid, healthcare services, and different important supplies.

Since the RSF seized power of el-Fasher from the Sudanese Armed Forces much than 100,000 radical person fled the metropolis to adjacent towns and displacement camps, according to the latest UN figures.

Survivors person described seeing bodies lining the streets portion researchers successful the United States said outer images suggest RSF forces are burying bodies successful wide graves.

Meanwhile, the paramilitary radical has been pressing eastward into the neighbouring Kordofan area, wherever the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has reported “intensified aerial strikes, drone attacks and dense unit mobilization since aboriginal November”.

Residents person been besieged successful the towns of Babanousa, Dilling, and Kadugli “with entree to food, water, and wellness services rapidly deteriorating”, UNHCR said successful an update.

“Civilian casualties are peculiarly precocious successful Bara, Babanousa, Ghubeish, and Umm Krediem portion families proceed to beryllium displaced some within Kordofan and crossed authorities borders to Khartoum, Northern, and White Nile States.”