Hell in 2025 in Sudan: UN Reveals Shocking Numbers
In 2025, the number of war casualties in Sudan reached catastrophic levels, prompting the United Nations to issue a call for pressure to secure a ceasefire.
This was announced on Thursday by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who noted that the number of civilian deaths in the Sudanese conflict more than doubled in 2025 compared to the previous year.
The UN official warned that thousands of other victims remain unidentified or are still missing.
Türk’s statements coincided with the landing of a UN plane in Khartoum on Thursday, the first flight since the outbreak of the war, according to Denise Brown, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, who described the event as “very important” for relief workers trying to reach millions in need.
Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in a conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of 11 million people, creating one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Blaming Both Sides
Speaking before the UN Human Rights Council, Türk said: “This war is horrific. It is bloody and senseless,” placing blame on both parties to the conflict, who have so far refused to agree to any humanitarian ceasefire.
He added: “In 2025, the number of civilians killed more than doubled and a half compared to the previous year. Thousands remain missing or have unidentified bodies.”
He condemned what he described as “atrocities that are heinous and brutal,” including sexual violence, summary executions, and arbitrary arrests.
He highlighted a rise in sexual violence, including rape, sexual torture, and enslavement, with over 500 victims of such attacks in 2025.
Türk expressed “serious concern about the potential recurrence of these crimes.”
Since the fall of Al-Fashir, fighting has spread into the heart of neighboring Kordofan, where drone strikes have killed dozens of people each time.
He noted that both the army and the Rapid Support Forces continue to use “explosive weapons in densely populated areas, often without prior warning, showing complete disregard for human life.”
Türk also highlighted “the increasing use of sophisticated long-range drones,” which has “expanded the circle of harm to civilians in areas far from the front lines that previously lived in peace.”
He expressed concern over “the growing militarization of society,” including the recruitment of children and youth for combat.
He questioned, “How do those orchestrating or benefiting from this madness sleep?”
Call for a Ceasefire
In this context, the UN official called for “diplomatic and political pressure” to encourage the parties to agree on a humanitarian ceasefire that could lead to a lasting ceasefire.
Efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement have repeatedly collapsed.
Earlier this week, Al-Burhan pledged to continue fighting to the end, rejecting any truce with the Rapid Support Forces.
