UN experts' report accuses Sudan’s warring parties of atrocities against civilians

UAE official says report debunks Sudan army's false accusations against the Emirates

Displaced people ride an animal-drawn cart, following attacks by the Rapid Support Forces on Zamzam displacement camp, in North Darfur. Reuters

A new UN report has accused both Sudan’s military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of committing widespread atrocities against civilians as they vie for control in a two-year civil war that has devastated the country.

The report, seen by The National on Tuesday, outlines how Sudan's Armed Forces (SAF) resorted to indiscriminate aerial bombardments, particularly around El Fasher, the scene of the most intense fighting in the south-western region of Darfur, and partnered with newly recruited militias to launch ground offensives in strategically important areas.

A satellite image from April 16 shows burning buildings in Zamzam camp, a major site for displaced people in North Darfur, after it was taken over by the RSF. Reuters

The RSF consolidated control over most of Darfur in 2024 through violence. According to the report, these tactics included “targeted attacks on internally displaced persons, committing widespread acts of conflict-related sexual violence, inciting violence among communities to claim historically contested territories and detaining individuals perceived as aligned with the Sudanese Armed Forces”.

UN Security Council’s final report on Sudan exposes grave violations by warring parties and debunks false SAF accusations against the UAE

Dr Anwar Gargash,
diplomatic adviser to the UAE President

El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, is a historically significant and strategically vital urban centre in western Sudan. Control of the city has become a flashpoint in the conflict.

Sudan descended into war in April 2023, when tensions between SAF, led by Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Gen Mohamed Dagalo, erupted into open conflict. What began as a power struggle between the two former allies – who jointly staged a coup in 2021 – has spiralled into one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Tens of thousands of people have been killed, although estimates for the death toll are uncertain, and more than 13 million have been displaced. Some areas of the country are facing famine as aid agencies struggle to gain access to deliver relief supplies.

This month, 22 countries and a coalition of NGOs working on war relief efforts in Sudan met in Britain's capital for the London Sudan Conference, the latest in a series of international mediation efforts that have ended without a breakthrough.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, centre, speaks at the Sudan conference in London on April 15. EPA

The 42-page report, which was compiled by the UN Panel of Experts on Sudan and submitted to the Security Council, says civilians have borne the brunt of the violence, with more than 470,000 people displaced from El Fasher alone.

“Many more [were] subjected to arbitrary arrests, sexual violence and targeted killings,” the report read.

“The humanitarian crisis was further compounded by the obstruction of aid delivery, with both SAF and RSF exploiting bureaucratic processes and checkpoints to control resources. Civilians in RSF-controlled territories faced acute food shortages and endemic violence, while indiscriminate air strikes by SAF decimated critical infrastructure, leaving urban populations trapped and vulnerable.”

'False accusations'

The Sudanese army had previously accused the UAE of “complicity in genocide” for allegedly arming the RSF and has taken the case to the International Court of Justice. The UN report does not mention these allegations. The UAE has repeatedly denied the accusations, calling them “false and baseless”.

“UN Security Council’s final report on Sudan exposes grave violations by warring parties and debunks false SAF accusations against the UAE,” Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the President, said on X. “We call for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, serious peace talks, unhindered humanitarian aid and independent civilian government.”

The UAE is a leading humanitarian donor to Sudan, having contributed more than $3.5 billion in aid in the past decade. Since the outbreak of the conflict, it has provided more than $600 million in relief assistance.

"This report provides no support for the SAF's unsubstantiated allegations," said UAE permanent representative to the UN, Mohamed Abushahab, in a statement. "It does not make a single finding against the UAE."

The Emirates has also expressed growing concern about the regional implications of Sudan’s instability, particularly its impact on Red Sea maritime security.

“Port Sudan is increasingly mirroring the situation in Al Hodeidah, Yemen, by endangering freedom of navigation and commercial shipping, posing a significant global threat to international maritime security,” a senior UAE official told The National.

The Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Sudanese military leadership, both facing international sanctions, maintain control over strategically important ports along the Red Sea.

The Houthis, backed by Iran, hold the Hodeidah port, which is vital for humanitarian aid and maritime traffic. From their coastal positions, the Houthis have launched numerous missiles and disrupted shipping in the Red Sea in attacks they say are being conducted in solidarity with Palestinians amid Israel’s war on Gaza, which began after the attacks on October 7, 2023.

Meanwhile, Sudan’s military controls Port Sudan, the country’s main seaport.

Observers argue that both groups' grip on Red Sea access points raises concerns about the security of global maritime routes and the politicisation of trade.