Sudanese conflict takes a more dangerous turn for civilians, warns the UN

According to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the situation for civilians is already desperate and there is evidence of war crimes and other atrocities being committed.

The services of High Commissioner Türk fear that the situation will take “an even more dangerous turn”.

“As the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces fight to gain control at all costs of the senseless war that has raged for almost two years now, direct and ethnically motivated attacks against civilians are becoming increasingly more frequent,” said the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, in a statement.

In the past week alone, the UN Human Rights Office says it has documented at least 21 deaths in just two attacks in Al Jazirah state, although the actual number of attacks directed against civilians and civilians killed is very likely higher.

Shockingly brutal, ethnically-based reprisal attacks

In an attack on January 10, at least eight civilians were killed in the Taiba camp, and at least 13 women and one man were kidnapped. Homes were burned, livestock, crops and other property were looted, and dozens of families were displaced.

The next day, at least 13 civilians were killed, including two boys, in an attack on the Khamsa camp. Both camps are located approximately 40 kilometers from Wad Madani, the capital of Al Jazirah.

Reports suggest the attacks were carried out by Sudan Shield Forces led by Abu Aqla Keikal, a former commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces who defected in October 2024. They targeted the Kanabi, a historically marginalized group composed mainly of Nubas and other African tribes.

For the UN, “retaliatory attacks – of shocking brutality – against entire communities on the basis of real or perceived ethnic identity are on the rise”, as are hate speeches and incitement to violence .

“It is urgent to put an end to this situation,” added Mr. Türk.

Videos of summary executions in Wad Madani and ethnic violence in North Darfur

In three videos received by the United Nations Human Rights Office that document scenes of violence, including unlawful killings, victims are dehumanized and denigrated as “Wassekh” (dirt), “Afan” (mold), “Beheema” (animal) and “Abnaa E-dheif” (bastards), and the summary executions are hailed by the perpetrators as “Nadhafa” (a cleansing operation).

The videos were allegedly filmed in Wad Madani, in the presence of men wearing Sudanese Armed Forces uniforms.

Serious concerns also persist for civilians in North Darfur, where ethnically motivated attacks by Sudanese security forces and allied Arab militias against African ethnic groups, particularly the Zaghawa and the Fur, continue. horrible victims.

Proliferation of recruitment of ethnic militias and mobilization of fighters

Separately, in the town of Omdurman, some 120 civilians were reported killed and more than 150 injured in drone attacks on January 13, allegedly launched by the Sudanese Armed Forces on a market in Ombada Square Dar es Salaam , an area controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces.

The High Commissioner renewed his call on both parties to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.

He also warned that the proliferation of militia recruitment and mobilization of fighters, largely along ethnic lines, risks triggering a wider civil war and intercommunal violence.

The UN warns that prompt, independent, impartial and transparent investigations into all reports of violations and abuses are crucial.

“The FAS and the RSF are responsible for the actions of the groups and individuals who fight on their behalf,” argued Mr. Türk. “They must take immediate measures to ensure the protection of all civilians, including taking all possible measures to avoid or at least minimize harm caused to civilians in the conduct of hostilities.”

Only a third of the population of Wad Medani remains after its recapture by the army

While the Sudanese army and its allies have retaken the strategic town of Wad Medani from the paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), humanitarian partners indicate that only 30% of the population of this locality remains. Al Jazirah State.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), only women, children and the elderly remained. Gender-based violence has also been reported.

The regular army announced on Saturday January 11 that it had entered the capital of Jazirah, a region marked by abuses committed by RSF paramilitaries and a campaign of forced displacement.

These latest developments pave the way for the humanitarian community which can, for the first time since December 2023, come to the aid of people in need.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in October 2024, the resumption of conflict caused widespread displacement, including secondary displacement of the population of Khartoum.

434,000 people displaced from Wad Medani to 15 states by the end of 2024

By the end of 2024, 434,000 people had been displaced from Wad Medani to 15 states in Sudan, with the majority seeking refuge in Gedaref, Kassala and other parts of Al Jazirah (IOM).

As of January 8, 2025, Al Jazirah State hosted approximately 275,000 displaced people in eight localities, according to the IOM.

Wad Medani is a key agricultural and economic center, known for its crops such as cotton, wheat, sorghum and vegetables, but farmers in many areas have missed the planting season due to the conflict.

On the ground, initial reports indicate heavy contamination by unexploded ordnance (UXO). “Five children died following explosions – three in the Al Sharif Yagoub region and two in the Al Kamar region,” OCHA detailed in its latest report, noting that “awareness messages about explosive devices unexploded explosives must be urgently released.

In the meantime, the United Nations National Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has mobilized and intensified its interventions so that humanitarian workers can operate in safe conditions.

According to OCHA, many people have lost their homes and livelihoods due to the conflict which has damaged or destroyed public infrastructure such as markets, water and healthcare facilities in the state.

Food, water, health and protection services among priority needs

Most basic services, including water and electricity, are unavailable. These services will need to be restored when people return home.

The main hospital in Wad Medani was damaged and is currently not functioning. Pharmacies have been looted and there is a shortage of essential medicines.

Those affected need urgent help to rebuild their lives. Their priority needs are food, water, sanitation and hygiene, health, nutrition and protective services.

Faced with these urgent needs, preparations are underway for a rapid needs assessment, according to OCHA. In the meantime, community kitchens have been set up to provide food to vulnerable people.

A team from the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) was also deployed to Wad Medani on January 16 to assess the storage of vaccines and the damage sustained.

This locality in the state of Al Jazirah had been a refuge for displaced families during the first months of the war.

Nearly 40% of health establishments destroyed or non-functional

For its part, the UN World Health Agency (WHO) notes that access to health care remains very limited in this North-East African country. Nearly 40% of health facilities were declared destroyed or non-functional.

“People are dying because of lack of access to healthcare and basic and essential medicines. According to a report published in December 2024, 38% of hospitals are not functional and 62% are partially functional in 7 states,” Tarik Jasarevic, WHO spokesperson, said during a press briefing in Geneva.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 140 attacks on healthcare have been recorded since April 2023, leaving 240 people dead and 216 injured. In this batch, the year 2024 was the most dramatic, with 77 attacks causing 202 deaths and 171 injuries.

“The NGO Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has suspended its medical activities at Bashair Hospital (one of the last functioning hospitals in southern Khartoum) following repeated attacks on staff and patients,” added Mr. Jasarevic.

Access to health care remains very limited due to insecurity, attacks on health care, shortage of medicines and medical supplies, health personnel and cash to cover operating costs of facilities health.

Cholera, malaria, dengue and measles reported in over 12 states

Many regions of the country remain largely inaccessible to humanitarian actors. Insecurity, bureaucratic obstacles and logistical challenges have limited the ability of WHO and its partners to provide direct assistance to health facilities in Darfur, Khartoum, Al Jazirah, Sennar and Kordofans.

Under these conditions, health facilities lack medicines and medical supplies, and vaccination activities are very limited in the most affected areas. The observation in Khartoum is particularly severe: around 90% of health centers are not functional.

These latest developments come as cholera, malaria, dengue and measles are reported in over 12 states. More than 50,568 cases of cholera including 1,200 deaths have been reported as well as 798 cases of measles including 10 deaths have also been recorded in 12 states.

On the ground, WHO is leading the response to the health emergency, delivering more than 1.5 tonnes of medical supplies, supporting nutritional stabilization centers, ensuring cholera and polio vaccination, and monitoring outbreaks through cross-border and cross-border operations, including supplies from Chad. WHO thus reached hard-to-reach areas and deployed mobile clinics.