Commissioner for Human Rights: Violations in Sudan are escalating, and the technologically advanced war is supported by foreign parties

During an interactive dialogue held by the Human Rights Council on the situation in Sudan, Turk presented a report that he described as… “Another chapter in a record of brutality”. He stated that the report documents continuing patterns of violence against civilians, including murder, rape and torture.

He said that violations of international law by all parties to the conflict escalated as the fighting intensified, in the absence of accountability.

High civilian death toll

According to data documented by the United Nations Human Rights Office, the killing of civilians in 2025 has increased by more than two and a half times compared to the previous year, while thousands of people are still missing or have not been identified.

The Human Rights Commissioner spoke about the increasing use of advanced long-range drones, which has led to expanding the scope of harm to civilians to include areas that were safe, far from the front lines.

He said that the parties – mainly the Rapid Support Forces – repeatedly used drones to target vital infrastructure, including power plants, dams and fuel tanks, which had huge impacts on civilians.

Violation of the bodies of women and girls

“The bodies of Sudanese women and girls are used as weapons to terrorize communities.”as Volker Türk said. He added that in 2025, his office identified more than 500 victims of sexual violence, including rape, gang rape, sexual torture and slavery, in some cases resulting in death.

The office also documented a sharp increase in summary executions* of those accused of collaborating with the other side. The UN official also spoke about widespread arbitrary detention by both parties and their allied militias.

In areas under the control of the Sudanese Armed Forces, he said, civilians were arrested and convicted without due process, and many trials ended in death sentences or life imprisonment. There is also no formal justice system in areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces.

Despite the warnings, the massacre was not prevented

The High Commissioner for Human Rights said that the Rapid Support Forces’ control of the Zamzam camp in April and its offensive operation in El Fasher in October led to a massacre that killed thousands of people, amounting to war crimes and possible crimes against humanity.

He said that he had repeatedly warned of the dangers facing El Fasher, but “the massacre was not prevented.” As the focus of the war moves to the Kordofan region, the UN official expressed grave concern about the possibility of these crimes being repeated.

He pointed to the worrying escalation in marching and siege attacks by the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces in the Kordofan region and beyond, including regarding humanitarian aid convoys. He stated that about 600 civilians had been killed or injured since January 1.

Türk also spoke about the horrific conditions of people with disabilities, whose numbers increase after every attack, the targeting of health and relief workers and aid convoys, and the deprivation of about 13 million children from education because schools were bombed, used for military purposes, or closed.

He expressed concern about the increasing “militarization of societies,” including the recruitment of children and youth to participate in fighting, the shrinking of civic space, the targeting of journalists and human rights defenders, and the spread of hate speech.

Ugly war

Turk said that the war in Sudan is ugly, bloody and absurd. He added: “I can only wonder how those who lead or benefit from this madness, whether inside or outside Sudan, sleep at night.”

He called on all parties to put the interests of the people and the country first, and stressed the need to stop all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure immediately. He urged countries to put pressure on the parties to abide by their obligations in accordance with international law, related to protecting civilians and ensuring the arrival of humanitarian aid.

He also called on countries to fully comply with the arms embargo in Darfur and prevent the flow of weapons to Sudan, and said “This is a technologically advanced war supported by foreign actors.”. He added that he personally witnessed in Sudan the devastation caused by advanced and complex weapons that continue to flow into the country.

He stressed the importance of holding all those responsible for violations accountable. He said that all countries must do everything possible to ensure justice for the victims, including through universal jurisdiction and support referring the situation in Sudan to the International Criminal Court.

He stressed the urgent need for stronger diplomatic and political pressure to push the parties to agree on a humanitarian truce that would lead to a permanent ceasefire, followed by peace negotiations and a transition to comprehensive civilian rule.

At the end of his speech, he praised the strength and spirit of the Sudanese people, especially women and youth, and said that he witnessed during his visit how this spirit is still burning. He stressed that the Sudanese people will inevitably win in the end. But he wondered how much time and suffering would be before this war was over.

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