He renewed his call on both sides in the brutal civil conflict between rival armies to fully respect international law, “in particular the clear prohibition against targeting civilians and civilian property and infrastructure, and against any form of indiscriminate attacks.”
In Western Kordofan, at least 152 civilians were reportedly killed in drone strikes by the Sudanese army, including at least 50 when a market and a hospital were attacked.
Attacks on two separate markets in Abu Zabad and Wad Banda on 7 March left at least 40 civilians dead, and on 10 March a truck carrying civilians was reportedly hit by a SAF drone, reportedly killing at least 50 civilians.
Affected homes and markets
In South Kordofan, at least 39 civilians were reportedly killed, including 14 in the state capital, Dilling, in heavy artillery bombardments launched by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and their SPLM-North allies between 4 and 5 March.
Many homes, schools, markets and health facilities were damaged or destroyed in the attacks, compounding the effects on civilians and local communities.
The High Commissioner also expressed alarm at the recent expansion of the conflict to White Nile State, which has been the subject of intense drone attacks by the RSF militia since March 4. On March 11, a secondary school and a health clinic in the village of Shukeiri were attacked, killing at least 17 civilians, one of them a health worker.
“It will soon be three full years since the senseless conflict began in Sudan, which devastated millions of lives and livelihoods. Yet the violence, fueled by these new technologies of warfare, simply continues to spread,” Türk said.
UN urges stronger action to end violence against women and girls
UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed warned that violence against women and girls continues to be fueled by war, militarization and entrenched inequality, and urged governments to go beyond condemnation and take decisive action.
Speaking at a high-level meeting marking five years of the United Nations Group of Friends on the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls, she said conflicts around the world are exposing women and girls to serious and lasting harm.
According to the UN, more than 4,500 cases of conflict-related sexual violence were verified in 2024, although the true number is likely to be much higher due to stigma, fear and the collapse of reporting systems.
Clear patterns of violence
The Deputy Secretary-General pointed out alarming patterns in several crises. In Sudan, UN experts have reported widespread sexual violence and attacks against women human rights defenders.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a child has been reported raped every half hour, while in Haiti sexual violence against children has increased dramatically in recent years.
Ms. Mohammed stressed that women must be at the center of peace processes and political decision-making, and warned that lasting peace cannot be achieved while women and girls remain excluded and unprotected.
UN alarmed by deadly clashes and increasing displacement in Ituri, DRC
The UN has raised the alarm over escalating violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), warning that civilians in Ituri province face increasing danger and displacement.
U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York on Thursday that humanitarian agencies are “deeply concerned about the impact of ongoing violence on civilians” in the region.
A deadly month
According to local partners, at least 10 civilians were killed on Wednesday near the town of Bule, in Djugu territory, during clashes between armed groups. Since early March, clashes in surrounding villages have left at least 21 dead and forced many others to flee their homes.
Displacement sites are rapidly becoming overcrowded. Authorities report that the Plaine Savo site is now home to nearly 136,000 people, about double the number recorded two months ago.
Despite growing needs, aid workers are struggling to reach those affected. Dujarric said humanitarian access remains “severely restricted due to insecurity,” noting that partners have not been able to safely reach the Plaine Savo site since March 8 after a new surge in violence.