The United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has raised urgent concerns over escalating human rights violations in Sudan, warning that ongoing impunity is worsening the crisis as the conflict spreads and additional armed groups join the fight. The situation, marked by atrocities against civilians, has left millions displaced and vulnerable.
A recent UN report outlined grave violations, including targeted attacks on civilians, healthcare centers, markets, and schools. Investigators documented ethnically motivated summary executions and widespread sexual violence, painting a grim picture of a country descending further into chaos.
“The continued and deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian objects, as well as summary executions, sexual violence, and other violations and abuses, underscore the utter failure by both parties to respect the rules and principles of international humanitarian and human rights law.”
Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
He further warned that “some of these acts may amount to war crimes,” stressing the need for prompt and independent investigations to hold perpetrators accountable.
Sudan has been gripped by brutal warfare for 22 months, pitting government forces against their former allies, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict has created the world’s worst displacement crisis, with more than 12 million Sudanese forced from their homes, including 3.3 million who have fled the country.
The UN estimates that over 30 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian aid. Food security has collapsed, and healthcare services have been devastated, with only a quarter of medical facilities operational in the hardest-hit regions. An estimated 25 million people are facing “acute” hunger, worsening an already dire situation.
Sexual Violence Used as a Weapon of War
One of the most alarming aspects of the UN report is the systematic use of sexual violence. At least 120 incidents affecting 203 victims were documented, though the real number is likely far higher due to fear, stigma, and the breakdown of legal and medical institutions. “The persistent use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in Sudan is deeply shocking,” Türk stated. He called for immediate measures to halt these abuses, ensure accountability for perpetrators, and provide redress for survivors.
The report also highlighted a systematic crackdown on civic freedoms, including targeted killings of journalists and human rights defenders. At least 12 journalists have been killed in the conflict, including two who died while in detention, and 31 others have been arbitrarily imprisoned, four of them women.
Throughout 2024 alone, OHCHR documented over 4,200 civilian deaths as a direct result of hostilities. However, officials warn that the true toll is likely far greater. Attacks on media and civil society are contributing to a climate of fear, making it increasingly difficult to document and report on human rights abuses.
Speaking from Port Sudan via video link, Li Fung, head of the OHCHR office in Sudan, described the unfolding crisis as a “dangerous tipping point.” She called on the international community to step up efforts to protect civilians and prevent further atrocities.
“[The international community] must take all necessary measures to protect civilians and prevent further violations and abuses. It remains urgent to ensure critical humanitarian assistance can reach those in need. Together, we must stand with the people of Sudan.”
Li Fung
To address the crisis, the UN report recommends expanding the arms embargo and extending the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to cover all of Sudan, not just the Darfur region, where mass atrocities were committed two decades ago.
As violence escalates and humanitarian conditions deteriorate, urgent international intervention is needed to prevent further suffering and hold perpetrators accountable.
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