Week of June 9th
Dying in Silence in Darfur and Nowhere To Go
Mass Murder, Acute Famine, and Protection Crises
The humanitarian crisis in Sudan has worsened in recent weeks. Famine is growing, and violence is escalating, especially in Darfur where civilians and critical infrastructure are being systematically targeted. The situation is a clear affront to international humanitarian law, yet there is an overall lack of humanitarian response. The international community must act immediately to end the genocide in Sudan, deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid, and hold perpetrators accountable
Since the attacks on the Zamzam camp in April, there has been a documented rise in mass murder, forced displacement, harassment, intimidation, and detention of displaced people with nowhere to go. This, coupled with the rise of airstrikes and attacks, marks an overall escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Sudan. The violence has triggered a hunger crisis, leaving people in famine conditions, suffering from acute malnutrition and food insecurity and severe water shortage. Displaced women and girls face heightened risks of sexual violence at shelters and at illegal checkpoints as they seek safety.
In early May, fighting in the city of El Nahud in West Kordofan state killed over 300 civilians, the actual death toll likely being much higher. RSF rampaged through neighborhoods, looting and killing. It was reported that RSF has been treating detainees in a cruel and inhuman way. Control over El Nahud has been a priority for both RSF and SAF, and is now under RSF control in their bid to control El Fasher. As UN Human Rights Cheif Volker Turk said in a statement, “The horror unfolding in Sudan knows no bounds.”
Recent Atrocities and Escalations
- May 30: At least six people were killed by an RSF drone attack on Obeid International Hospital, in North Kordofan. This is a direct assault on humanitarian infrastructure, and a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
- June 1: In Central Darfur, RSF opened fire in a market near the El Hamidiya camp, killing two civilians and injuring several others.
- June 2: At least 89 people were killed and wounded in El Koma in North Darfur, following an SAF airstrike. This is the first such attack in the region after a period of relative pause.
- June 4: Human Rights Watch released a report accusing SAF of indiscriminately bombing civilian populations during airstrikes in South Darfur in February. Full Report: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/06/04/sudan-armed-forces-airstrikes-south-darfur
- June 5: A joint humanitarian convoy (WFP and UNICEF) was attacked near El Koma, North Darfur. Multiple trucks were burned, and critical humanitarian supplies were damaged. The convoy was en route to El Fasher.
- June 5: Residents of Wadi Halfa in Northern State blocked all major entrances to the town to protest scheduled power cuts, reflecting the rising civilian frustration amid ongoing infrastructure collapse.
- June 9: A U.S. travel ban including Sudan went into effect, signed by President Trump. Sudanese doctors have warned that this ban will prevent medical graduates from participating in training programs in the U.S., limiting future healthcare capacity in Sudan. The ban also blocks Sudanese refugees at a time when international refuge is most urgently needed. The African Union has condemned the move, warning it threatens years of diplomatic progress.
- June 11: In Abu Zabad, West Kordofan State, eight people, including a child, were killed and nine injured in a drone strike on a shelter for displaced people. This direct targeting of civilians seeking refuge is a flagrant violation of international humanitarian laws.
RSF Activity in Port Sudan
- RSF drones have been flying over Port Sudan almost daily, since the initial strikes between May 4th-6th. Drones hit critical infrastructure like fuel tanks, a power station, and oil depots, disrupting essential services and endangering civilian lives.
A Worsening Public Health Crisis
- Cholera in Khartoum: Aid workers say the effort to control the outbreak in Khartoum is deteriorating due to the collapse of health services. On June 4, officials reported 1,375 new cholera cases since May 25. This surge is linked to bombings of power stations, which have cut off access to safe drinking water, forcing residents to use contaminated sources like the Nile.
- Cholera in West Darfur and Sennar: Health officials have confirmed six cases and two deaths in El Geneina. In Sennar, 153 suspected cases and nine deaths have been reported. Actual cases and deaths are likely much higher. The situation is dire due to the increased bombing of infrastructure, disrupting access to clean drinking water and medical care.
Displacement and Catastrophic Conditions
- Over 800,000 displaced people who fled the Zamzam, Abu Shouk, and Tawila camps are living in catastrophic conditions due to lack of basic services and a near total absence of humanitarian aid. The people are seeking refuge in East Darfur, in the Khazan Jadid area. Most people are living there without shelter, there are no treatment centers or health services, and malnutrition has been reported among children. With the rainy season approaching, the risk of disease outbreaks will only increase.
Our Demands to the International Community
We call on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the African Union, the United States, and the larger international community to take the following urgent actions:
- Swiftly authorize and deploy civilian protection forces to protect the innocent Sudanese people, particularly in Darfur;
- Impose criminal and financial accountability for all individuals and states complicit in committing past and present genocide and war crimes in Sudan;
- Demand that the warring parties immediately cease all attacks and strictly adhere to a permanent, verifiable ceasefire;
- Authorize urgent and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid for all in need across Sudan;
- Press the warring parties to stop the torture, murder, rape, and starvation of civilians as a strategy of war;
- U.S., UNSC, and allies must hold the regional and international enablers supplying weapons to the warring parties in Sudan accountable;
- US and allies must cease the selling of arms to the UAE and prevent genocide in Sudan.
As this genocide intensifies, we issue this urgent call to the global community: act now. The people of Darfur and Sudan at large are facing mass killings, forced starvation, and targeted ethnic violence at the hands of armed actors who continue to operate without consequence. These horrors are not inevitable, they are preventable. But only if we raise our voices, demand accountability, and call on world leaders to protect civilians and support the Sudanese people in their fight for survival, safety, and peace. The time to act is now.
