The United Nations has issued a stark condemnation of escalating violence in Sudan’s Kordofan region, where government and paramilitary forces have been accused of killing scores of civilians in recent weeks. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk described the ongoing clashes as a “callous disregard for civilians’ lives,” citing verified reports of mass casualties and a deepening humanitarian catastrophe.
According to a UN statement released Thursday, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed at least 60 civilians in North Kordofan’s Bara area between July 10 and 17. Local civil society organizations, however, estimate the death toll from recent fighting exceeds 300. Meanwhile, Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) airstrikes in West Kordofan reportedly killed 23 people and injured over 30 from July 10–14, with an additional July 17 strike in Bara claiming 11 lives—all members of a single family.
The violence coincides with alarming reports of RSF troop movements toward El Obeid, the strategic capital of North Kordofan state. Türk also raised urgent concerns about RSF ground attacks on El Fasher, North Darfur’s besieged capital, where assaults on July 11–12 caused further civilian casualties. “An escalation in these regions will worsen risks to civilians and deepen one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises,” he warned.
Since erupting in April 2023, Sudan’s civil war—triggered by a power struggle between the SAF and RSF—has claimed over 150,000 lives and displaced 12 million people, per BBC estimates. The UN classifies the displacement crisis as the planet’s largest, with millions facing acute food insecurity and collapsed healthcare systems.
Türk urged influential nations and regional actors to pressure both factions to halt hostilities, protect non-combatants, and allow unfettered aid access. He emphasized obligations under international humanitarian law, demanding independent investigations into alleged atrocities and accountability for perpetrators. The rights chief also reiterated calls for humanitarian pauses to facilitate relief efforts, noting that 25 million Sudanese now require assistance.
The recent attacks underscore a pattern of civilian targeting in the conflict, with neither side showing meaningful restraint. In North Darfur, where the RSF has been accused of ethnic violence, and in Kordofan’s agricultural heartland, entire communities face bombardment, displacement, and blockade. Analysts warn that a RSF offensive on El Obeid—a key transportation hub—could sever vital aid routes to Darfur and intensify nationwide suffering.
As diplomatic efforts stall, the UN warns the war’s ripple effects threaten regional stability, with neighboring Chad and South Sudan hosting over a third of Sudan’s displaced population. With rainy season floods further complicating aid delivery, Türk stressed that “the world cannot look away” from a crisis leaving generations traumatized and infrastructure in ruins.
