UN Pushes for Urgent Access to Famine-Hit al-Fashir Amid Reports of Mass Atrocities

The United Nations is urgently seeking access to al-Fashir, a famine-stricken city in Sudan’s Darfur region, after alarming reports of mass executions, sexual violence, and disappearances following last month’s takeover by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher, the scale of alleged atrocities means the city will have to be treated as a “crime scene” once investigators are able to enter.

Fletcher, speaking to Reuters after a visit to Darfur, emphasized that gaining entry into al-Fashir is critical but extremely delicate. He noted that talks with the RSF remain sensitive, yet he hopes the U.N. will receive clearance within days or weeks. Providing aid will be a massive challenge, he said, as the city has endured a long siege and remains cut off from communication. Many residents who stayed behind during the RSF assault remain unaccounted for, raising fears of widespread human rights abuses.

More than 100,000 people are believed to have fled al-Fashir since its fall on October 26, but only a small number have reached Tawila, a nearby area already overwhelmed with displaced families. Most others are thought to be trapped in remote villages that humanitarian convoys currently cannot reach. Fletcher described the route between Tawila and the Chadian border as perilous, with an estimated 30 to 40 checkpoints that make escape nearly impossible for civilians without resources.

The RSF has denied the scale of the allegations but claims it is investigating abuses by its fighters. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court has begun gathering evidence of mass killings and rapes. Fletcher stressed that the U.N. will only proceed with large-scale aid operations if the RSF guarantees safe passage for humanitarian workers and fleeing civilians, and if accountability mechanisms are put in place.

He also met with Sudanese army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan in Port Sudan to push for unrestricted humanitarian access, noting that government bureaucracy has historically hindered relief efforts. As famine looms and violence persists, the U.N. warns that immediate access is essential to save lives and uncover the full extent of the crisis.