The United Nations Human Rights Council ordered an urgent inquiry on Monday into alleged abuses around Sudan’s besieged city of al-Obeid, condemning escalating violence by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces as warnings grow over the risk of mass atrocities.
The motion, brought by Britain and 14 other states, was adopted by consensus at the council in Geneva. China disassociated itself from the decision, saying it did not support investigations targeting individual countries without their consent.
Al-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state, has become a major flashpoint in Sudan’s war between the army and the RSF. The city is one of Sudan’s largest urban centres and has been under growing pressure as RSF forces mass nearby.
Britain’s Human Rights Ambassador Eleanor Sanders said the inquiry was needed to prevent a repeat of atrocities reported during the RSF takeover of al-Fashir in North Darfur last year.
“These horrors must not be repeated,” Sanders told the council.
South Africa’s ambassador Zaheer Laher also backed the motion, calling the situation a “red alert” and saying the RSF was drawing from what he described as the same “genocidal playbook” used in al-Fashir.
The decision follows a warning from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who said Friday that a “catastrophe” was unfolding around al-Obeid. His office said it had documented patterns of summary executions, abductions, torture and sexual violence in the surrounding Kordofan region.
UN officials said civilians in and around al-Obeid have faced siege-like conditions, shortages of clean water and repeated drone attacks. The UN human rights office said at least 45 civilians were killed and 41 injured in 15 drone strikes in al-Obeid and nearby areas between June 6 and June 28.
The latest UN action comes days after Amnesty International accused the RSF of committing crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing during its campaign to capture El Fasher. In a report covered by The Guardian, Amnesty said civilians were subjected to murder, torture, rape, enslavement and sexual slavery as part of a widespread and systematic attack, with non-Arab communities particularly targeted.
A previous UN fact-finding mission also said the RSF’s seizure of El Fasher showed “hallmarks of genocide” against non-Arab communities.
The RSF has previously denied allegations of abuses, saying accounts of atrocities were fabricated by its opponents and making counter-accusations against them.
Sudan’s war began in April 2023 after a power struggle between the Sudanese army and the RSF turned into open conflict. The fighting has displaced millions of people and pushed large parts of the country into a severe humanitarian crisis.
