UN Human Rights Council condemns escalating violence in Sudan's el-Obeid

The top United Nations human rights body, on Monday, approved without a vote a measure that condemns the escalating violence by Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and its allies in and around the city of el-Obeid in the North Kordofan region as the war in the African country continues into its fourth year.

The resolution, brought by Britain, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway at the Human Rights Council, also encourages greater support for countries hosting refugees from Sudan and condemns “all forms of external interference” in the war, among other things.

China, Cuba, Egypt and Pakistan, however, dissociated themselves from any consensus on the measure, with some expressing concerns about references to a fact-finding mission that the council has already set up to focus on rights abuses in Sudan's war.

On Friday, U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk sounded a “red alert” about possible atrocity crimes in and near el-Obeid, a strategic city in central Sudan, and called on world leaders to do more to help stop the bloodshed in the country’s ongoing war.

His comments came as the council held an urgent debate on the situation in el-Obeid about concerns expressed by diplomats, advocacy groups and others that another wave of atrocities may loom against civilians in Sudan’s war.

The war erupted in April 2023 out of long-simmering tensions between the army and RSF. The conflict has killed at least 59,000 people, displaced some 13 million and pushed many parts of Sudan into famine.

More than 30 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance.