News Center- The people of North Darfur, one of the states of Sudan have faced an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, including food shortages and malnutrition, as access to those in need is further hampered by ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

“In the last three weeks, the confirmed number of civilians killed in North Darfur was at least 542,” Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the United Nation Secretary-General, said in a press briefing on Thursday. “The actual death toll is of course likely much higher, our colleagues warned.”

Stéphane Dujarric said the UN Human Rights Office is particularly concerned about “reports of extrajudicial executions in Khartoum state,” adding that UN rights chief Volker Türk has “personally alerted both leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to the catastrophic human rights consequences of this war.”

“You will have seen his statement he issued this morning, in which he said that it is well past time for this conflict to stop,” Stéphane Dujarric told reporters.

‘Horrors in Sudan know no bounds’

Just four days ago, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) launched coordinated attacks from multiple directions on the besieged city of El Fasher and Abu Shouk camp, killing at least 40 civilians. This brings the confirmed number of civilians killed in North Darfur to at least 542 in just the last three weeks.  “The horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds,” United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in a press release on Thursday. “My fears are all the greater given the ominous warning by the RSF of ‘bloodshed’ ahead of imminent battles with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their associated armed movements. Everything must be done to protect civilians trapped amid dire conditions in and around El Fasher.”