UN says over 1,350 civilians killed in El Fasher, condemns military escalation
October 28, 2025 (NEW YORK) – The United Nations on Tuesday expressed grave concern over the military escalation in El Fasher, North Darfur, stating that at least 1,350 civilians have been killed in the city and strongly condemning widespread rights violations.
In a daily briefing, the Secretary-General’s spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, relayed Antonio Guterres’s alarm over the tightening siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) that has trapped hundreds of thousands of civilians for over eighteen months.
“The Secretary-General strongly condemns reports of violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights in El Fasher, including indiscriminate attacks, targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, gender-based violence and ethnically motivated attacks,” Dujarric said.
He added that the UN human rights office has documented some 1,850 civilian deaths in North Darfur, with an estimated 1,350 of those occurring in El Fasher. However, Dujarric cautioned that this is likely “an under-representation of the real number of conflict-related deaths” due to communication blackouts and access challenges.
Humanitarian access to the city remains blocked, shrinking aid capacity even as needs soar. Many civilians are fleeing towards Tawila, with the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) reporting that families, particularly children, are arriving “malnourished, sick and traumatized after a dangerous journey to safety.”
The Secretary-General reiterated his demand for an immediate end to the siege to allow for “safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian aid delivery.”
Guterres is also “deeply alarmed by the continued influx of weapons and fighters into Sudan,” demanding an immediate halt to prevent the further deterioration of an already desperate situation. He renewed his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, urging both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF to engage with his Personal Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, to find a negotiated settlement.
The conflict has also intensified in other regions. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), fighting in North Kordofan State displaced nearly 2,500 people from Bara town over the weekend and up to 1,000 others from Zuraiba village on Monday.
“We stress once again that civilians must be protected wherever they are, whether they decide to seek safety or whether they have to stay,” Dujarric concluded.