Sudan Conflict: UN Report Details War Crimes as Aid Reaches Cut-Off Communities

A modern report from the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) details widespread atrocities committed during the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) offensive to capture El Fasher, Sudan, in October 2025, potentially amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Simultaneously, a UN-led convoy has delivered critical humanitarian supplies to communities in South Kordofan that have been largely isolated for over two years.

UN Report Exposes Atrocities in El Fasher

The OHCHR report, released on February 13, 2026, documents a “wave of intense violence…shocking in its scale and brutality” during the RSF’s assault on El Fasher in North Darfur. The report details mass killings, summary executions, sexual violence, abductions for ransom, torture, pillage, and the use of children in hostilities. Many attacks specifically targeted civilians and those hors de combat based on ethnicity or perceived affiliation.

Based on hundreds of interviews with victims and witnesses conducted in late 2025, the OHCHR documented over 6,000 killings in the first three days of the offensive. The report acknowledges the actual death toll is “undoubtedly significantly higher.” One particularly horrific incident involved the killing of approximately 500 people when RSF fighters opened fire with heavy weapons on a crowd of 1,000 sheltering at Al-Rashid dormitory in El Fasher University on October 26th. Witnesses described scenes “like a scene out of a horror movie.”

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk emphasized the need for credible investigations and accountability for perpetrators, stating, “Persistent impunity fuels continued cycles of violence.”

Drone Warfare and Civilian Casualties

Recent reports indicate continued attacks on civilians across Sudan, with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk expressing alarm over the escalating use of drone warfare. Between February 15th and 16th, attacks occurred in four states, perpetrated by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF.

On February 15th, an alleged SAF drone strike on the Al Safiya market in Sudari locality, North Kordofan, reportedly killed 28 civilians and injured 13. The following day, in West Kordofan, an alleged SAF drone struck a shelter for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Al Sunut, killing 26 civilians, including 15 children, and injuring 15 others. Alleged RSF drones also struck two primary schools in Dilling, South Kordofan, with casualties still being determined. An alleged RSF drone struck the Al-Mazmoun Hospital in Sennar state, reportedly killing at least three civilians and injuring at least seven. Another alleged SAF drone strike hit a fuel store within a local market in Adikong, West Darfur, with unconfirmed casualties.

Türk reiterated the need to protect civilians, stating, “The continued attacks by all parties on civilian objects must stop.” He stressed the importance of refraining from the military use of civilian objects.

Humanitarian Aid Reaches South Kordofan

A multi-agency UN convoy recently delivered vital humanitarian supplies to Dilling and Kadugli in South Kordofan, areas cut off from aid for more than two years. The 26 trucks transported essential medical, food, nutrition, health, water and sanitation (WASH), and education supplies for over 130,000 people. This included food commodities for nearly 70,000 people, with specialized nutritious food to prevent malnutrition, as well as five months of medication for HIV, TB, and malaria.

The convoy was led by the World Food Programme (WFP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative in Sudan, described the arrival of the convoy as “a critical lifeline for children who have been cut off from assistance for far too long.” The convoy was delayed for over 40 days due to intensified hostilities and insecurity, forcing it to take a longer, more difficult off-road route.

Makena Walker, acting WFP Country Director for Sudan, emphasized the need for sustained, predictable, and safe access to prevent further deterioration of the humanitarian situation. Luca Renda, UNDP Sudan Resident Representative, highlighted the importance of ramping up support for national systems to ensure regular deliveries of aid across Sudan.