The United Nations Human Rights Council is set to hold an emergency meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, to address the worsening human rights situation in and around el-Obeid, North Kordofan, as Sudan’s conflict continues to escalate.
The urgent session comes amid warnings that nearly 500,000 civilians are at risk of large-scale atrocities due to intensifying violence and deteriorating humanitarian conditions.
According to Al Jazeera, the emergency debate was requested by a core group of countries comprising Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom.
In their formal request, the countries warned that civilians in and around el-Obeid face an increasing threat of mass violence. They also expressed concern over escalating drone attacks that have damaged critical civilian infrastructure, leading to severe shortages of fuel and clean water.
The group said siege-like conditions have effectively trapped thousands of residents inside the city, cutting them off from essential services and humanitarian assistance.
Following the debate, the sponsoring countries are expected to present a draft resolution for consideration and adoption by members of the Human Rights Council.
Doctors Report Missing After RSF Takeover
Meanwhile, the Sudan Doctors Network has accused the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of detaining 20 doctors, including four women, after the paramilitary group overran el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, in October last year.
The independent medical network said the whereabouts of the detained healthcare workers remain unknown and called on the RSF to disclose their fate and allow medical personnel to carry out their duties without intimidation, detention or attacks.
The network also reported that healthcare workers in North Darfur have faced repeated attacks since Sudan’s conflict erupted on April 15, 2023, adding that at least 25 medical personnel were killed before the fall of el-Fasher.
Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
Sudan’s civil war, now in its fourth year, has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced more than 12 million people and created what the United Nations has described as the world’s worst displacement and hunger crisis.
Fighting has intensified in recent months across the Kordofan region and Blue Nile State, near the Ethiopian border, particularly following the RSF’s capture of el-Fasher, which had served as the Sudanese Armed Forces’ last major stronghold in the Darfur region.
The Human Rights Council’s emergency session is expected to focus on protecting civilians, addressing alleged human rights violations, and exploring measures to improve humanitarian access to communities trapped by the conflict.
Source: Al Jazeera
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