Sudan: Civilian death toll triples in one week amid escalating hostilities
February 7, 2025
In a stark escalation of violence, the civilian death toll in Sudan has tripled in just one week, according to the United Nations.
The latest figures, released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), show that at least 214 civilians have been killed since February 1, compared to 67 in the previous week.
The majority of the deaths have occurred in Darfur, where fighting between government forces and rebel groups has intensified in recent weeks. However, there have also been reports of civilian casualties in other parts of the country, including the capital, Khartoum.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, has condemned the violence and called for an immediate end to the hostilities.
“The escalating violence in Sudan is a grave violation of international law,” Bachelet said in a statement. “Civilians are being killed and injured, and families are being displaced from their homes. This must stop.”
The UN has also called for an independent investigation into the violence.
The Sudanese government has blamed the rebel groups for the violence, accusing them of targeting civilians. However, the rebels have denied these accusations and have accused the government of using excessive force.
The escalation of violence in Sudan comes at a time when the country is already facing a severe humanitarian crisis. Millions of people have been displaced from their homes, and there are widespread shortages of food, water, and medical care.
The UN has warned that the situation in Sudan is “extremely alarming” and that “urgent action is needed to prevent further loss of life.”
Background
Sudan has been plagued by conflict for decades. The country has been embroiled in a civil war since 2003, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions more.
In 2019, a popular uprising led to the overthrow of President Omar al-Bashir. However, the country has remained unstable since then, with a number of rebel groups continuing to fight the government.
The latest escalation of violence has raised fears that Sudan could slide back into full-blown civil war.
International response
The international community has condemned the violence in Sudan and called for an end to the hostilities.
The United States has called for a “credible and transparent investigation” into the violence. The European Union has also called for an end to the violence and has urged the Sudanese government to “fully respect” human rights.
The UN Security Council has held an emergency meeting on the situation in Sudan. The council members expressed their “grave concern” about the violence and called for an immediate end to the hostilities.
The Security Council also called for the Sudanese government to investigate the violence and to hold those responsible accountable.
Sudan: Civilian death toll triples in one week amid escalating hostilities
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