The United Nations’ top human rights body convened a one-day special session on Friday to spotlight the mass killings at a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur region and other atrocities reportedly committed last month by paramilitary forces in conflict with the army.
During the session, the Human Rights Council debated a draft resolution urging an existing team of independent experts to conduct an urgent inquiry into human rights violations in el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). “The atrocities unfolding in el-Fasher were foreseeable and preventable, yet they were not stopped. These acts constitute some of the gravest crimes,” stated Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief.
Last month, the RSF seized control of el-Fasher and carried out attacks at the Saudi Hospital, resulting in over 450 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. RSF fighters reportedly went door-to-door, killing civilians and committing sexual assaults.
Türk highlighted that reports of mass killings, targeted ethnic executions, sexual violence including gang rape, abductions for ransom, arbitrary detentions, and attacks on health facilities and humanitarian workers were unsurprising given the RSF’s control of the city.
The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese military, once allies, escalated in 2023. WHO reports indicate the fighting has killed at least 40,000 people, while the UN estimates 12 million have been displaced. Humanitarian organizations warn the true death toll could be significantly higher.
The draft resolution, proposed by several European nations, primarily called for a fact-finding mission already established by the council to identify those responsible for the crimes in el-Fasher and support accountability efforts.
“Much of el-Fasher is now a crime scene,” said Mona Rishmawi, a member of the investigation team. Since the RSF took control, her team has documented evidence of widespread atrocities, including deliberate killings, torture, rape, abductions for ransom, arbitrary detentions, and enforced disappearances. “A full-scale investigation is essential to understand the complete scope, but the evidence already collected is devastating,” she added.
While the Human Rights Council, comprising 47 UN member states, cannot compel compliance, it plays a critical role in highlighting violations and collecting documentation that may support prosecutions in forums such as the International Criminal Court.
