GENEVA: The United Nations called Thursday for urgent action to prevent “large-scale, ethnically-driven attacks and atrocities” in Sudan’s besieged western city of El-Fasher.
The call from the UN rights office came after reports that long-range drones were being pre-positioned by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support forces in South Darfur, raising fears of a large attack on the North Darfur city of El-Fasher in coming days.
The RSF is currently waging its fiercest assault yet on El-Fasher, which is the last major city in the vast western region of Darfur still under control of the country’s regular army.
“After over 500 days of unremitting siege by the RSF and incessant fighting, El-Fasher is on the precipice of an even greater catastrophe if urgent measures are not taken loosen the armed vice upon the city and to protect civilians,” UN rights chief Volker Turk said in a statement.
Following persistent reports of serious violence against those fleeing the city, including summary executions and torture, Turk insisted that “atrocities are not inevitable.”
