UN voices concern over surge in violence and suffering in Sudan
The United Nations conveyed considerable concern over the surge in violence in Sudan, most notably in the states of North and West Kordofan, according to AL24 news on July 16th.
Recent attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces on a series of villages near the city of Bara in North Kordofan killed over 450 civilians, according to a July 15th UNICEF statement. The organisation also revealed that 24 boys, 11 girls, and two pregnant women were among the dead, some of whom were burnt alive inside their homes.
UNICEF expressed indignation at the violence, stating that “these attacks are an outrage. They represent a terrifying escalation of violence, and a complete disregard for human life, international humanitarian law, and the most basic principles of humanity.”
“Civilians – particularly children – must never be the target of attack. All alleged violations must be independently investigated, and those responsible held to account. Impunity cannot be tolerated for violations of international law, especially when children’s lives are at stake.”
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that verification of the full extent of casualties has been challenging due to disruptions in communication. According to the UN via The Guardian on July 15th, over 3,400 people were displaced during the assault. Internal displacement has been considerably exacerbated in recent months, as over 3,000 people fleeing violence have arrived in Ad-Dabbah locality since June, stretching already limited resources.
Emergency Lawyers, a Sudanese activist group, placed sole responsibility for the surge in violence on the RSF, stating that “it has been proven that these targeted villages were completely empty of any military objectives, which makes clear the criminal nature of these crimes carried out in complete disregard of international humanitarian law.”
A top UN official recently warned that the risk of genocide occurring in Sudan is high, particularly because the RSF “continue to conduct ethnically motivated attacks against the Zaghawa, Masalit and Fur groups.”
Insecurity has been further exacerbated in North Kordofan due to renewed shelling in the state capital of El-Obeid. In West Kordofan, over 20 people have been killed in attacks on the villages of Abu Zabad and Al-Fulah, which included an airstrike which hit a school that was being used as a shelter for displaced civilians.
OCHA urged all parties embroiled in the bloody conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law. The office stated that “these incidents are yet another tragic reminder of the relentless toll the conflict is taking on civilians across Sudan.”
Sudan has been devastated by a highly destructive civil war which erupted in April 2023 amid a power struggle between the Sudanese Military and the RSF. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the conflict, and a further 14 million have been displaced.
AL24 news, UNICEF, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Maghrebi
Want to chase the pulse of North Africa?
Subscribe to receive our FREE weekly PDF magazine
