UN Warns of Potential Repeat of El Fasher Atrocities in Kordofan
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has issued a stark warning regarding the potential for violent atrocities similar to those witnessed in El Fasher, Darfur, to occur in Kordofan, where fighting is escalating.
In his address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Türk described the events in El Fasher as "a preventable catastrophe," expressing deep concern that the same patterns of human rights violations could shift to Kordofan, especially following the recent uptick in armed conflict since the fall of El Fasher.
The High Commissioner noted that his office has repeatedly documented alarming patterns of crimes and serious human rights abuses, including an attack by the Rapid Support Forces on the Zamzam refugee camp, which resulted in thousands of deaths and forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee in fear.
Türk emphasized that these incidents reach the level of war crimes and crimes against humanity, aligning with findings from the International Criminal Court regarding the events in El Fasher.
The UN official clarified that full responsibility for these atrocities lies with the Rapid Support Forces and their allies, as well as those who support them. He called for accountability to ensure that those involved do not escape justice and that such tragedies do not recur in other parts of Sudan.
In concluding his remarks, Türk made a direct appeal to the international community, urging greater and more effective efforts to protect civilians, halt violations, and prevent Kordofan from descending into a new cycle of violence akin to that seen in El Fasher.
