UN warns thousands still trapped in El Fasher, Sudan as atrocities mount

New Delhi, Nov 15: Thousands of civilians are believed to remain trapped in the Sudanese city of El Fasher, weeks after paramilitary forces seized the North Darfur capital following a 500-day siege, UN News reported.

UN human rights chief Volker Türk told the Human Rights Council that residents had been reduced to eating peanut shells and animal feed before the city fell, describing bloodstains visible “from space” and citing credible reports of mass killings, ethnically targeted executions and other atrocities. He urged immediate international action to stop the violence.

According to UN News, nearly 100,000 people have fled El Fasher and nearby villages in the past two weeks, many recounting “unimaginable horrors,” including rape, disappearances and forced recruitment, the UN refugee agency said. Thousands more — particularly the elderly, people with disabilities and the wounded are still unable to leave. Those escaping face long, dangerous journeys around military checkpoints, with some travelling up to 15 days with minimal food or water before reaching safety.