UN alarmed by deadly attacks on civilians in Sudan’s Darfur, Khartoum

March 25, 2025 (UNITED NATIONS) – The United Nations said on Tuesday it was gravely alarmed by continued attacks on civilians across Sudan, citing a deadly airstrike on a market in North Darfur and escalating violence in populated areas of Khartoum.

U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters that dozens of casualties were reported after an airstrike hit a market about 40 km (25 miles) north-west of El Fasher in North Darfur on Monday night.

Local sources identified the target as Tura market, an area controlled by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and attributed the strike to the Sudanese Air Force.

“The UN is also deeply concerned about escalating attacks on populated areas in Khartoum,” Dujarric said.

He noted reports of civilians killed and injured in eastern Khartoum on Monday when artillery struck a mosque during evening prayers. Civilian casualties were also reported on Sunday due to heavy shelling in Omdurman, Khartoum’s twin city across the Nile River. The shelling in Omdurman reportedly occurred amid ongoing operations by the RSF targeting army-controlled residential areas in Khartoum state, with recent incidents in northern Omdurman reportedly killing dozens.

“The UN reminds all parties to the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to take all possible measures to avoid harm to civilians,” Dujarric stated.

The violence compounds a worsening humanitarian crisis. Dujarric highlighted that ongoing hostilities and recent funding cuts by major donors have severely disrupted health services, particularly in the Darfur region.

“Last month alone, nearly half of all reported attacks on healthcare facilities in Sudan occurred in Darfur,” he said, adding that most facilities in the region have only one to two months of supplies left, with acute shortages in North and South Darfur states.

Fighting erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), devastating the capital and triggering ethnically driven violence in Darfur. Airstrikes attributed to the SAF and shelling by the RSF have frequently resulted in civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure throughout the conflict.

Despite funding shortfalls and access constraints, Dujarric said the U.N. and its partners continue efforts to meet rising needs. He mentioned a recent assessment in North Kordofan state, finding nearly 58,000 people urgently needing aid, with partners now operating health facilities and planning distributions.

“The UN continues to urge the international community to step up support for the humanitarian response in Sudan – both through increased funding and by pressing all parties to protect civilians – including aid workers – and ensure safe and unhindered access to people in need,” Dujarric concluded.