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Citing credible reports of extrajudicial killings in several areas of the capital, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said that the victims were suspected of collaborating with rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters.<\/p>\n
\u201cI urge the commanders of the Sudanese Armed Forces to take immediate measures to put an end to arbitrary deprivation of life,\u201d insisted Mr. T\u00fcrk, pointing to reports attributing the killings to SAF soldiers, State security personnel and affiliated militias<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The High Commissioner\u2019s comments follow the review of \u201cmultiple horrific videos\u201d available on social media since 26 March, apparently filmed in southern and eastern Khartoum and showing armed men \u201csome in uniform and others in civilian clothes\u201d executing civilians.<\/p>\n In some of the video footage, perpetrators state that they are punishing supporters of RSF, the UN rights chief said, adding that he was \u201cutterly appalled\u201d by the development.<\/p>\n One report from the Janoub Al Hezam area of southern Khartoum apparently showed the alleged killing of\u00a0at least 20 civilians, including one woman, by\u00a0SAF and affiliated supporters.<\/p>\n \u201cExtrajudicial killings are serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law,\u201d Mr. T\u00fcrk said. \u201cIndividual perpetrators, as well as those with command responsibility, must be held accountable for such unacceptable actions under international criminal law.\u201d<\/p>\n Sudan\u2019s spiralling crisis stems from the breakdown of a transition to civilian rule after the overthrow of long-time ruler\u00a0Omar al-Bashir in 2019.<\/p>\n The country was the first that Mr. T\u00fcrk visited as High Commissioner in November 2022 and he has invested heavily in trying to protect Sudanese people from heavy fighting and the catastrophic humanitarian crisis that has gripped the country. In May 2024 he spoke to rival generals Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan of the SAF and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, head of the RSF, in an effort to pursue a peaceful resolution to the crisis.<\/p>\n At the current Human Rights Council session in Geneva, however, the High Commissioner\u00a0warned\u00a0more than 600,000 people are on the brink of starvation in Sudan after nearly two years of fighting.<\/p>\n \u201cFamine is reported to have taken hold in five areas, including Zamzam displacement camp in North Darfur,\u201d Mr. T\u00fcrk said, referring to the shelter where the UN World Food Programme (WFP) was forced to suspend its lifesaving operations amid intense fighting.<\/p>\n An additional five more areas could face famine in coming months and a further 17 are at risk, the High Commissioner told the Council on 27 February. \u201cMy own staff have heard harrowing testimonies of death from starvation in Khartoum and Omdurman.\u201d<\/p>\n In an alert late Wednesday, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, warned that 250,000 people \u2013 mostly women, children and older people \u2013 had fled violence in the Al Malha area, around 180 kilometres north of El Fasher, the capital of\u00a0North Darfur state.<\/p>\n \u201cMany are now scattered across 15 villages, lacking even basic necessities, the UN agency said, highlighting that just last week, the UN migration agency, IOM, said that 75,000 people had been displaced because of clashes.<\/p>\n \u201cThe newly reported figure would mark a very significant escalation in displacement and signal a serious deterioration in an already dire humanitarian situation across North Darfur,\u201d OCHA said.<\/p>\n In eastern\u00a0Sudan, meanwhile, humanitarian partners continue to respond to a hepatitis outbreak spreading among displaced communities at the Gharb Al Matar displacement site in Kassala state.<\/p>\n Between 27 and 31 March, more than 60 new suspected cases were reported, bringing the total to 236 cases in less than a month.<\/p>\n The outbreak is being driven by overcrowded living conditions, poor sanitation and limited healthcare.<\/p>\n To date, an estimated 8.8 million people have been forced from their homes to camps and other locations within Sudan; 3.5 million more have fled across borders.<\/p>\n More than 30.4 million people need assistance, from healthcare to food and other forms of humanitarian support. Less than 30 per cent of hospitals and clinics are still working, and outbreaks of disease are rampant in displacement camps.<\/p>\n In a statement, Mr. T\u00fcrk expressed concern at the rise in online hate speech and incitement to violence in Sudan, \u201cwith lists of individuals accused of collaborating with the RSF posted online\u201d. The High Commissioner also warned that ethnic groups from the Darfur and Kordofan regions were being targeted disproportionately, before calling for the Sudanese authorities to launch\u00a0independent, transparent and effective investigations into the latest incidents.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nVideo horrors<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Accountability call<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Human Rights Council spotlight<\/strong><\/h2>\n
El Fasher alert<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Millions displaced<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Online threat<\/strong><\/h2>\n