UN says alarmed by large-scale violence in different parts of Sudan

February 18, 2025 (NEW YORK) – The United Nations expressed alarm on Tuesday over escalating violence accross Sudan, reporting massacres, widespread sexual violence, and a worsening humanitarian crisis, including famine.

Spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters at a briefing in New York that over 150 people were reportedly killed in an attack on El Qutainah town in White Nile state on Sunday, with “horrifying reports” of dozens of women raped and hundreds of families forced to flee.

In North Darfur, Dujarric said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that civilians in and around the Zamzam displacement camp faced grave threats. Initial estimates indicate at least 17 civilians were killed and many more wounded in an attack on Monday, he added.

Dujarric noted that shelling reportedly destroyed parts of the main market in Zamzam, the primary source of supplies for residents. Zamzam is one of the areas in Sudan where famine has been declared.

Following escalations in North Darfur’s capital, El Fasher, and surrounding areas, people have sought refuge in Al Dabbah in the Northern state, Dujarric said. State authorities report that over 3,100 people, mostly elderly, wounded, or suffering from chronic diseases, have arrived in Al Dabbah from North Darfur in less than two months.

The UN Human Rights Office has found that “entrenched impunity” is fueling gross human rights violations and abuses in Sudan as fighting spreads and involves more groups, Dujarric said. The office called for a broader international effort towards accountability to stem the flow of arms.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said the continued and deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian objects, summary executions, sexual violence and other violations and abuses underscore the “utter failure” by both parties to respect international humanitarian and human rights law.