Expanded Human Rights Memorandum on the International Day of Non-Violence
On the International Day of Non-Violence, which falls on October 2 of each year, and amid one of the most complex humanitarian crises ongoing in Sudan, the Sudan Rights Watch Network raises its voice, warning of a further slide into a large-scale humanitarian and human rights catastrophe in El Fasher and its surroundings in particular, which has been under a stifling siege for more than 500 days in the Darfur region as a whole. “After more than 500 days of continuous siege by the Rapid Support Forces and ongoing fighting, El Fasher is on the brink of an even greater catastrophe unless urgent measures are taken to ease the armed grip on the city and protect civilians,” said Commissioner Volker Türk.
In a written press statement issued on October 2, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, issued an urgent appeal to the international community and the parties to the conflict, calling for immediate action to protect civilians and prevent widespread ethnically motivated atrocities. Fears of a renewed escalation of attacks have grown following reports of the deployment of long-range drones by the Rapid Support Forces around Nyala International Airport.
According to the statement, reports documented the deaths of at least 91 civilians between September 19 and 29 as a result of artillery shelling, drone strikes, and ground incursions by the Rapid Support Forces, in addition to the repeated direct targeting of civilian facilities. These practices, which have included the bombing of markets, mosques, and community kitchens, are intended to force civilians to flee El Fasher, including from the Abu Shouk camp for internally displaced persons. At least 67 civilians were killed in a drone attack targeting a mosque on September 19, while 23 civilians were killed on September 30 when a community kitchen in the Abu Shouk neighborhood was shelled.
These attacks underscore the systematic pattern of violence against civilians, which takes many forms: from deliberate starvation to forced displacement, to sexual violence based on ethnic identity, as occurred in the attack on Zamzam camp last April. These violations amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity and pose a direct threat to the lives and dignity of hundreds of thousands of trapped civilians.
The High Commissioner emphasized that international humanitarian law explicitly prohibits the use of starvation as a weapon of war and emphasized the need to ensure safe and voluntary passage for civilians wishing to leave the city, and to protect them from the documented acts of summary killing, torture, abduction, and looting committed against those fleeing through the exit routes. He also called on all parties to immediately lift the siege, allow unhindered humanitarian access, and protect humanitarian workers, including local responders.
“With essential supplies dwindling by the day and prices skyrocketing, the latest attack on one of the few remaining community kitchens will further undermine the right to food,” Türk said. “The situation is made more dire by the ongoing arbitrary restrictions imposed by the Rapid Support Forces on the entry of food and essential supplies into the city, and by credible reports of civilians being tortured and killed by RSF fighters for attempting to do so.” He concluded: “Atrocities are not inevitable; they can be avoided if all actors take concrete steps to respect international law, demand respect for civilian lives and property, and prevent the continued commission of atrocity crimes.”
As we, the Sudan Rights Watch Network, recall the values of the International Day of Non-Violence, we affirm that the catastrophe in El Fasher is not inevitable. Rather, it can be avoided if the armed parties adhere to international law, and if influential states assume their responsibilities to exert serious pressure to halt violations and ensure the protection of civilians.
We also reiterate that what is happening in El Fasher reminds the world that the lack of accountability and silence regarding violations constitute fertile ground for the continuation of the cycle of violence. On this day, we affirm that atrocities are not inevitable; they can be stopped through a genuine commitment to international law, amplifying the voices of victims, and transforming the values of non-violence from symbolic slogans into practical policies to protect civilians and stop the bloodshed.
El Fasher today represents a test of the credibility of the regional and international community and its commitment to the values of humanity beyond the Sudanese parties. Protecting the lives and dignity of civilians is a collective responsibility that cannot be postponed. On the International Day of Non-Violence, we reaffirm that preserving the right to life, ensuring justice, and halting atrocities is the most effective path toward genuine peace in Sudan.
Accordingly, the Sudan Rights Watch Network calls on the international community, regional organizations, and Sudanese and regional actors to take urgent and decisive action to halt the cycle of violence, ensure the passage of aid, and protect the right to life and dignity of hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped behind siege lines. El Fasher today stands on the brink of an even greater catastrophe, and the voices of victims must rise above the voice of arms.
The Network sends specific recommendations to the Human Rights Council, the Security Council, and the United Nations, calling for their utmost consideration:
First: To the Human Rights Council:
- Appoint a Special Rapporteur on war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Darfur, with a mandate to monitor developments in the region as a whole.
- Convene an urgent special session to discuss the situation in North Darfur.
- Expand the Independent International Investigative Mechanism to include the recent violations in El Fasher.
- Include the issue of the blockade and starvation of civilians among the permanent items of Council oversight.
Second: For the United Nations and the Security Council:
- Issue a binding resolution to impose an immediate end to the blockade and ensure the entry of aid to civilians.
- Impose targeted sanctions on those responsible for violations, including Rapid Support Forces leaders.
- Deploy a field monitoring mission to protect civilians and ensure compliance with international humanitarian law.
- Refer the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court to investigate documented crimes.
Sudan Rights Watch Network
October 2, 2025