Emergency Session Convenes Over Atrocities in El Obeid
The UN Human Rights Council convened an emergency session on June 16, 2025, to address the “imminent risk of atrocities” in and around El Obeid, North Kordofan, following reports of sustained drone strikes by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) targeting civilian infrastructure. The session was called after rights groups urged the Council to act preemptively, citing patterns of violence mirroring the RSF’s 2023 assault on El Fasher, which the UN Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan described as bearing “the hallmarks of genocide.”
RSF Drones Target Civilian Infrastructure Since Mid-2025
The Fact-Finding Mission reported that RSF drones have struck hospitals, markets, schools, and residential areas in El Obeid since mid-2025, causing “civilian casualties and disrupting essential services,” according to a June 15 statement. The Mission’s findings echo pre-assault intelligence from the weeks before the El Fasher attack, during which RSF forces allegedly committed mass killings, sexual violence, and property destruction. The Mission has since called for “immediate measures to prevent further escalation.”
UAE Under Implicit Pressure to Curtail Support for RSF
During the session, UN officials and member states emphasized the need to cut off external support for the RSF, with particular focus on the United Arab Emirates. While no direct accusations were made against the UAE, diplomats and UN representatives implicitly urged the country to “use its influence to prevent further atrocities.” The UAE has previously faced scrutiny for its military cooperation with the RSF, though it has not acknowledged direct involvement in the group’s operations.
UN Investigates External Actors Fueling Conflict
The UN Human Rights Office confirmed it is investigating the role of “external actors” in fueling the conflict, including the war economy that sustains the RSF’s operations. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stated that “foreign players benefiting from the carnage must face greater scrutiny,” without naming specific countries. The Office also reiterated calls for an arms embargo on all parties to the conflict, a measure the Council is expected to expand to cover the entire country.
Resolution Demands Halt to Atrocities and Arms Embargo
A resolution drafted by the Human Rights Council and set for adoption on June 19, 2025, will urge an “immediate halt to atrocities” by all conflict parties, demand an end to “the deployment of foreign forces and supply of weapons,” and task the Fact-Finding Mission with an urgent inquiry into El Obeid. The text also references the need for “greater accountability,” though it stops short of explicitly linking the RSF to genocide charges.
NGOs Warn Current Measures Fall Short of Protection
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, which provided testimony during the session, warned that current measures “fall far short of what is needed to protect civilians.” They called for the deployment of a UN protection-of-civilians mission, expansion of ICC jurisdiction to cover all Sudanese territories, and targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for “serious violations of international humanitarian law.” The RSF, designated a terrorist group by the Sudanese government, has denied allegations of war crimes but has not responded to requests for comment.
Council Faces Pushback as Next Session Looms
The Council’s resolution is expected to face pushback from states with ties to the RSF, including the UAE and Egypt, which have historically avoided direct condemnation of the group. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has yet to issue a formal statement on the El Obeid situation, leaving the Human Rights Council as the primary international body addressing the crisis. The next scheduled session of the Council is set for June 26, 2025, with delegates expected to review updates on the Fact-Finding Mission’s investigation.
