UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has expressed alarm over the escalating violence in Sudan, warning that the conflict is taking an “even more dangerous turn for civilians.”
Türk issued the warning in a statement on Friday, highlighting reports of ethnically targeted killings in Al Jazirah state, southeast Sudan, and an imminent battle for control of Khartoum.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in conflict since April 2023, a war Türk condemned as “senseless.” He noted that as the factions “battle for control at all costs,” direct and ethnically motivated attacks on civilians are becoming increasingly frequent.
“The situation for civilians in Sudan is already desperate, with evidence pointing to the commission of war crimes and other atrocities. I fear the situation is now taking an even more dangerous turn,” Türk said.
In the past week, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) documented at least 21 deaths in two attacks on camps in Al Jazirah, located 40 kilometers from the state capital, Wad Madani. However, the true scale of civilian casualties and attacks may be much higher.
On January 10, an assault on Taiba Camp left eight civilians dead, and at least 13 women and one man were abducted. Houses were torched, and livestock, crops, and property were looted, displacing dozens of families. A day later, 13 civilians, including two boys, were killed in an attack on Khamsa Camp.
These attacks followed the SAF’s recapture of Wad Madani and were reportedly carried out by the Sudan Shield Forces, led by former RSF commander Abu Aqla Keikal, who defected in October. The attacks predominantly targeted the Kanabi, a marginalized group composed of Nuba and other African tribes.
Sudanese authorities have pledged to investigate the attacks and prosecute those responsible, establishing a committee for this purpose. However, Türk highlighted a worrying rise in retaliatory violence, hate speech, and incitement to violence based on ethnic identity, which he stressed must urgently be stopped.
OHCHR received videos documenting violence, including unlawful killings, allegedly filmed in Wad Madani. The footage showed men in SAF uniforms dehumanizing victims and using derogatory terms such as “dirt” and “animals,” with summary executions labeled as “cleaning operations.”
Similar ethnically motivated violence persists in North Darfur, where RSF forces and allied Arab militias continue targeting African ethnic groups, particularly the Zaghawa and the Fur.
Meanwhile, in Omdurman, a market in the Ombada Dar es Salam square – an RSF-controlled area – was hit by drone strikes on January 13, reportedly launched by the SAF. The attacks left approximately 120 civilians dead and over 150 injured.
Türk reiterated his call for an end to the fighting and urged the warring factions to adhere to international humanitarian and human rights laws. He also warned that militia recruitment and mobilization along ethnic lines risk igniting a broader civil war and inter-communal violence.
“The SAF and RSF are accountable for the actions of those fighting on their behalf,” Türk said, urging immediate measures to protect civilians and ensure investigations into all violations and abuses are independent, impartial, and transparent.
