A UN rights chief says over 700 people have been killed in the Sudanese city of al-Fashir since May, amid an intense siege by paramilitary forces. The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has urged the Rapid Support Forces to end the “devastating” shelling and airstrikes that have targeted densely populated residential areas.
The UN human rights office has documented at least 782 civilian deaths and over 1,143 injuries since May, citing evidence from interviews with those who fled the area. The casualties are a result of regular and intensive shelling by the Rapid Support Forces and recurrent airstrikes by the Sudanese Armed Forces.
Both sides have denied deliberately attacking civilians, but the UN says such attacks could amount to war crimes. The conflict between the Sudanese army and the RSF has triggered a humanitarian crisis, displacing over 12 million people.
Al-Fashir is a key front in the ongoing conflict, with observers warning that an RSF victory could lead to ethnic retribution. In recent weeks, the RSF has attacked the main hospital, killing at least nine people, and fired artillery at nearby Zamzam camp, forcing thousands to leave.
The situation on the ground remains dire, with a famine occurring among over half a million people in the Zamzam camp. The UN is calling on the Rapid Support Forces to end the siege and allow for humanitarian aid to reach those affected.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/more-than-700-killed-siege-sudans-al-fashir-un-rights-chief-says-2024-12-20