The number of civilian casualties of the war in Sudan has risen ‘considerably’ in the past six months, concludes the Human Rights Office of the United Nations OHCHR in a report. The humanitarian crisis as a result of fighting between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the government army has deepened in recent months.
OHCHR reported at least 3,384 civilian casualties between January 1 and June. That is already almost 80 percent of all civilian casualties who were documented in Sudan throughout 2024: there were 4,238. According to the UN, the actual number of victims is probably much higher.
The majority of citizens died in shelling and attacks. In March, for example, at least 350 civilians died in an air raid from the government army in the north of the Darfur region. In April, an offensive of the RSF resulted in the same region in at least 527 civilian deaths, half of whom in refugee camps.
In addition to the victims who fell during fighting, the OHCHR also reported the “unlawful murder” on at least 990 citizens. The number of executions tripled between February and April. In Khartem, for example, that the government army conquered in March on the RSF, alleged collaborators were killed.
Threatening famine
The report further points to “recurring patterns of conflict -related sexual violence,” which would be used as a war weapon in particular by the RSF. OHCHR speaks of a ‘cycle’ of human rights violations, which is maintained by ‘impunity’.
OHCHR mentions the threatening famine in Sudan, who is raging among 24.6 million people as a result of the war, the “greatest humanitarian crisis in the world.” 19 million people do not have access to clean drinking water and sanitary facilities.
How many victims have fallen in total since the start of the war, nobody can say exactly: social workers, human rights organizations and journalists have limited access to the country torn by war and famine. It concerns at least tens of thousands of lives.
On Friday, 75 people were killed in a drone attack on a refugee camp near the West-Sudanese city of El Fasher, reports AFP news agency on the basis of emergency services. The drone of the RSF would have hit a mosque where people had met for the morning prayer. The RSF has not yet confirmed the attack.
El Fasher, the last major city in the Darfur region, which is still under the control of the State Army, has been besieged for a year and a half.