Nairobi, November 15 (Darfur24)
The UN Human Rights Council on Friday adopted a resolution establishing an independent fact-finding mission to urgently investigate atrocities committed in the city of El Fasher in western Sudan.
The Council instructed the mission to investigate violations of international law committed by all parties, and to work to “identify, whenever possible,” individuals suspected of involvement, to ensure they are held accountable before the courts.
During the opening session, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged the international community to act swiftly, warning of the grave consequences of continued inaction.
UN Commissioner Warns of Escalating Violence in Kordofan
Türk also issued a stark warning about the escalation of violence in the Kordofan region, where communities are being bombed, besieged, and forcibly displaced. He called for action against individuals and companies that “fuel and profit from the war in Sudan.”
Kordofan, comprising three states, serves as a buffer zone between areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Darfur and those held by the Sudanese army in eastern Sudan.
The fall of El Fasher to the RSF on October 26 further consolidated the group’s control over the entire Darfur region amid a war that has lasted more than two and a half years.
Resolution Condemns Abuses in El Fasher
A draft resolution reviewed by Reuters strongly condemns reports of ethnically motivated killings, rape used as a weapon of war, and other atrocities reportedly committed by the RSF and allied groups in El Fasher.
Mona Rishmawi, a member of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan, detailed testimonies of rape, murder, and torture, stressing the need for a comprehensive investigation to reveal the full scope of violations.
She said the RSF had “turned El Fasher University into a killing field,” where thousands of civilians had sought refuge. Witnesses also reported bodies lying in the streets and in trenches inside and around the city.
Sudan Criticizes Exclusion of External Actors
The draft resolution does not mandate an investigation into the role of external parties allegedly supporting the RSF, an omission criticized by Sudan’s Permanent Representative in Geneva, Hassan Hamid Hassan.
He said Sudan is fighting a “decisive war” while the international community has failed to exert pressure on those backing the RSF.
“We warned in all United Nations forums,” he said, “and demanded action against the rebel militia and the state that supplies it with military equipment… and I mean the UAE.”