New York - Khartoum: Europe and the Arabs
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, warned that the conflict in Sudan is taking a more dangerous turn for civilians, following reports of dozens killed in ethnically motivated attacks in Al-Jazeera State, and reports of an imminent battle to control Khartoum. According to the UN daily news bulletin,
Türk said: "As the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces continue their battle for control at any cost in this absurd war that has lasted for nearly two years, direct ethnically motivated attacks on civilians have become more common." He added: "The situation for civilians in Sudan is already desperate, and there is evidence of war crimes and other atrocities. I fear that the situation is now taking a more dangerous turn."
Last week, the UN Human Rights Office documented the killing of at least 21 people in two attacks in Al-Jazeera State, with the actual numbers likely to be higher. On January 10, at least eight civilians were killed in Al-Tayba camp, and 13 women and one man were kidnapped. Houses were burned, livestock, crops and other property looted, displacing dozens of families. The following day, 13 civilians, including two children, were killed in an attack on Camp Khamsa. Türk reiterated his call on the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereign Council and the Commander of the Rapid Support Forces to immediately cease fighting. The High Commissioner also renewed his call on both parties to abide by their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, stressing that attacks must never target civilians.