Geneva, Switzerland – November 14, 2025 – The United Nations Human Rights Council has ordered an urgent investigation into widespread abuses in el-Fasher, North Darfur, following the city’s takeover by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) last month.

During a special session in Geneva, the council adopted a resolution directing the UN’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan to investigate human rights violations and, where possible, identify perpetrators for accountability.

“The atrocities that are unfolding in el-Fasher were foreseen and preventable and constitute the gravest of crimes,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.

RSF Takeover and Mass Displacement

The RSF seized full control of el-Fasher on October 26, after an 18-month siege. Since then, nearly 100,000 civilians have fled, reporting indiscriminate attacks, sexual violence, abductions, and mass killings. Witnesses described dead bodies lining the streets.

UN observers and Sudanese medics warn that RSF forces appear to be burying victims to conceal evidence of atrocities. Tens of thousands remain trapped in the city, raising urgent calls for humanitarian corridors and ceasefire enforcement.

Reported Atrocities

During the council session, Turk detailed reports of:

• Mass killings and ethnically targeted executions
• Sexual violence, including gang rape
• Abductions for ransom and arbitrary detentions
• Attacks on hospitals, medical staff, and humanitarian workers

“The international community has a clear duty to act. Too much pretense, too little action. It must stand up against these atrocities,” Turk said.

Expansion of Violence

The UN warned that violence is spreading to the neighboring Kordofan region, with reports of bombardments, blockades, and forced displacement.

Mona Rishmawi, a member of the UN fact-finding mission, described RSF forces turning el-Fasher University into a “killing ground”, highlighting the urgent need for a comprehensive investigation.

International Response

While the RSF denies targeting civilians, evidence collected by human rights groups and medics suggests otherwise.

The Human Rights Council, comprising 47 UN member states, cannot enforce compliance but serves to document violations and support international accountability efforts, including the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In early November, the ICC said it is taking immediate steps to preserve evidence of crimes in el-Fasher for potential future prosecutions, continuing its investigation into abuses in Darfur since April 2023.