El Fasher: Civilians urgently need protection and safe passage, Statement by the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Denise Brown
UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
(El Geneina, West Darfur; 29 September 2025) Civilians in El Fasher, North Darfur, describe impossible choices as they remain trapped in the city or attempt to flee, only to face violence, harassment and looting along insecure routes. The UN has received reports of unlawful killings, abductions and arbitrary detention — alongside indiscriminate attacks on markets, hospitals and places of worship.
Under international humanitarian law, civilians must be protected. Safe passage must be guaranteed for those who wish to leave the city. Exit routes need to remain open, secure and accessible. Civilians who remain also require protection, along with access to food, water and other essential supplies.
The siege of El Fasher must be lifted, indiscriminate attacks ended, and clear orders issued to prevent sexual violence and ethnically motivated attacks. Commanders and fighters are accountable for their actions under international law, which demands the protection of civilians.
Local responders and other humanitarian workers, who risk their lives daily to deliver assistance, must also be protected.
As the UN Secretary-General has urged, "immediate steps must be taken to protect civilians and enable the safe, unhindered and sustained delivery of humanitarian assistance into the area, and to allow any civilians seeking to leave the area voluntarily to do so safely."
29 September 2025
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