Widespread atrocities continue to unfold in El Fasher, the capital of Sudan’s Darfur region, after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) captured the city on October 27.

Reports indicate killings in hospitals, mass burials, and streets stained with blood, while thousands remain trapped amid confirmed famine conditions, according to the United Nations. Violence is now spreading to the neighboring Kordofan region.

Despite the scale of the crisis, the international response has been limited. On November 14, the UN Human Rights Council called for the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan to urgently investigate human rights violations in and around El Fasher, including identifying perpetrators. While this marks a first step toward formal documentation, experts say the UN Security Council must move beyond statements to take concrete action.

At an October 30 Security Council meeting, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher warned that stronger measures were needed to halt atrocities, ensure full humanitarian access, provide funding, and hold perpetrators accountable. The Council issued a statement condemning the RSF’s actions and calling for civilian protection, but critics note that the statement has failed to influence the conflict parties or address key calls for action.

Internal divisions within the Security Council have complicated decisive action. In November 2024, Russia vetoed a draft resolution on civilian protection, arguing it bypassed the Sudanese government. Meanwhile, the Council has generally avoided condemning the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) despite reports of indiscriminate airstrikes in Darfur. Observers have also criticized the lack of accountability for external backers of the RSF, such as the United Arab Emirates, whose role in supplying weapons has yet to be formally addressed.

Existing measures, including the Darfur arms embargo, continue to be violated, with the RSF reportedly receiving weapons through transnational supply routes. Analysts emphasize that stronger monitoring of the embargo, coupled with accountability for both RSF and SAF violations, is crucial to prevent further ethnic-based massacres and sexual violence in El Fasher.

The African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) has also called for urgent action. On October 28, it requested that AU Special Envoy Adama Dieng conduct a fact-finding mission and report within three weeks, while directing its Subcommittee on Sanctions to recommend measures addressing external support to the warring parties. However, public information on AU sanctions or follow-up measures remains limited.

Experts argue that immediate steps are available, including convening informal Security Council meetings, adopting General Assembly resolutions on civilian protection, and establishing a joint UN-AU monitoring mechanism. Long-term measures, such as deploying a protection force, could also be considered but would require regional support.

With atrocities continuing unabated, observers say the Security Council and AU PSC must act decisively and in coordination. Strengthened condemnations, clear deadlines, and accountability measures are essential to signal that the international community will not treat the El Fasher crisis as business as usual. (ILKHA)