Escalating violence in Sudan’s Kordofan region has prompted urgent warnings from the United Nations about the risk of mass atrocities. UN human rights chief Volker Türk cautioned that the situation mirrors the ignored alarms issued before the slaughter that followed the fall of el-Fasher in North Darfur. Since the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized Bara in late October, at least 269 civilians have been killed by bombardments, executions, and other abuses. Although the true toll is likely far higher due to widespread communication blackouts.
The RSF’s recent claim of capturing Babnusa has intensified concerns, particularly as hospitals across West Kordofan collapse under pressure and humanitarian agencies report severe obstructions to aid. Health infrastructure has been devastated. Nearly 1,700 health workers and patients have been killed since the conflict began, while cities such as Kadugli and Dilling face famine under siege.
A new target
The conflict between Sudan’s Armed Forces and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has already displaced nearly 12 million people. With el-Fasher fallen, attention has shifted to Kordofan. A strategically vital region linking RSF-controlled Darfur to government-held territories. Control of key hubs such as El Obeid could offer the RSF a direct path toward Khartoum.
Despite early UN warnings about the risk of atrocities, the world’s response has again lagged. Satellite imagery has revealed mass killings in el-Fasher following its capture, prompting calls from Amnesty International for war crimes investigations and sanctions from the European Union. Türk urged countries with leverage over the warring parties to halt arms transfers and press for an immediate ceasefire, warning that continued inaction will only deepen Sudan’s ongoing humanitarian disaster.
Reference
Ali, F. (2025, December 4). UN warns Sudan’s Kordofan faces mass atrocities as fighting spreads. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/4/un-warns-sudans-kordofan-faces-mass-atrocities-as-fighting-spreads