Renewed Fighting Across Kordofan Region: Patterns of Violations and Emerging Atrocity Risks
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Situation Update by Sudan Human Rights Hub
2025-11-21
Executive Summary
The conflict in Sudan's Kordofan region, obscured by limited media access and pervasive internet censorship, has engendered a dire humanitarian crisis marked by widespread violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). These violations including indiscriminate shelling of civilian areas, attacks on critical infrastructure, extrajudicial killings, pervasive Gender-Based Violence (GBV), and extensive looting, are driving mass displacement. As a result, acute food insecurity is worsening towards famine, the healthcare system is collapsing, and children are facing heightened risks and protection concerns.
Since October 2025, the Kordofan region has once again become a focal point of Sudan’s escalating conflict, as heavy fighting intensifies across North, South, and West Kordofan between the warring parties and their allied forces. Kordofan - a strategically vital region- has witnessed a sharp resurgence of violence with expanded battles, aerial strikes, sieges, and large-scale displacement, deepening an already severe humanitarian crisis. Moreover, airstrikes and their impact on civilians have contributed to the populace's opposition to the administration. The SAF has assembled a substantial force in Kordofan, consisting of various units, each reportedly operating under fragmented command structure, yet loosely coordinating operations and marching orders with SAF's overarching headquarters.
Key Developments
Aerial and Drone Attacks
Through cross examination of OSINT reports, SHRH’s consultation sessions and reports from the Hub’s network, Sudan Human Rights Hub has recorded an intensified pattern of indiscriminate use of force by aerial attacks, killing civilians nearly daily in several locations across the region.
Between late October, 2025 and November 18, 2025 Sudan Human Rights Hub has recorded an intensified wave of drone and aerial attacks by both RSF–SPLA-N Tassis alliance and SAF, which struck multiple civilian sites across South, North, and West Kordofan, hitting an IOM displacement camp in Kadugli, a school sheltering displaced families in Al-Abbasiya Tagali, residential areas in Al-Obayed, and communities in Abu Zabad. These strikes killed and injured children, women, and other civilians, with social media reports and local news sources documenting casualties, hospital arrivals, and images of bodies prepared for burial. The fighting around the Heglig oil field and Babanusa further underscored the escalating conflict, including reports of a drone strike that killed
an engineer at the Heglig site. Another documented incident was the killing of the Majaneen tribal leader along with 10 other senior leaders in an airstrike that reportedly targeted a meeting at a residential compound in the Al-Mazroub area in Bara. The incident further supported the conclusion that specific ethnic groups are being deliberately targeted in a deteriorating ethnic dynamic of the conflict.
2. Extrajudicial Killings
Reports shared by members of Sudan Human Rights Hub network as well as OSINT data, documented the extrajudicial execution of civilians, many targeted within specific families in Bara, North Kordofan during RSF takeover of the city. One of the documented incidents reported by the Sudanese Red Crescent (SRC) statement and witness testimony, is the extrajudicial killing of five SRC workers in Bara, following their capture and the filmed torture by RSF fighters in late October 2025. These acts demonstrate disregard for and ultimate denial of the right to life, the protection owed to civilians, as well as the targeting of humanitarian workers which are prohibited under IHL.
3. Indiscriminate use of force
Reports from multiple local sources described intensified shelling and exchanges of fire across Kordofan, including heavy artillery from the SPLM-N al-Hilu targeting Dilling Teaching Hospital and RSF bombardment of residential areas that killed a 12-year-old child. Footage circulated showed active clashes and the immediate aftermath of SAF shelling in West Kordofan, while additional exchanges of fire in North Kordofan resulted in further civilian deaths, including a child killed inside of a hospital.
4. Torture and Brutal Treatment
Through examination of reports and OSINT data, Sudan Human Rights Hub has documented the continued use of brutal treatment and torture against civilians during RSF military operations on the ground. On November 8, 2025, a video testimony from a Sudanese Red Crescent (SRC) surviving staff member recounted being captured, brutally interrogated, tortured, and witnessing the killing of five colleagues by RSF fighters. Testimonies from residents described door-to-door clearing operations in which civilians were tortured and killed inside their homes as RSF fighters swept through the town. Additional testimonies of survivors from Dilling and Kadugli, warned civilians fleeing these areas of the continued targeting of civilians along the traveling roads. The testimonies advised civilians to remain in the city to avoid torture and killing of civilians, which is in apparent targeting of civilians coming from Dilling and recounted seeing dead bodies alongside the traveling roads.
5. Arbitrary Detentions
Sudan Human Rights Hub was able, through its network, to document renewed violations during control shifts in several locations including Um Rawaba - El Rahad corridor.
Shifting territorial control in specific locations in the Kordofan region, including Bara, Um Saiala and others has been marked by reports of arbitrary detentions by controlling forces targeting civilians accused of alleged alliances or affiliation with opposing warring parties and their allied forces. OSINT reports documented incidents where detainees were questioned about their involvement in the fighting and their affiliations.
6. Mass Displacements
The takeover of the city of Bara, North Kordofan, was marked by widespread human rights violations, resulting in mass displacement. Similarly, and in anticipation of the takeover of Babanusa by RSF and its allied forces, the West Kordofan city has reportedly recorded a hundred percent displacement of its residents who fled the city to avoid suffering the same fate as Bara and other cities as a result of the renewed fighting in the region.
Legal Frame
Principle of humanity: These acts breach the common article 3 of Geneva convention 1949 persons who are not (or no longer) taking active part of hostilities, and the act of extrajudicial killings is strictly prohibited in the same article
Prohibition of Torture and cruel treatment: International humanitarian law and human rights law (convention against torture 1984) forbid torture and inhumane treatment of civilians,
Targeting civilian objects violates principles of distinction, proportionality and protection of civilian under the international humanitarian law IHL and Indiscriminate weapons (Rule 71)
Attacks that are not directed at a specific military object constitutes a violation of the principle of distinction under international humanitarian law in which parties must distinguish between civilian and combatants, civilian objects and military objectives.
Conclusions
Escalation Towards Tribalisation of the Conflict
The current fighting in Kordofan is rapidly shifting from a political–military confrontation into a deeply entrenched tribalized conflict, where long-standing ethnic grievances are being weaponised by armed actors to consolidate territorial control and influence local alliances.
Parallels With the El Fasher Siege
Patterns emerging in Kordofan—including encirclement tactics and sieging cities, obstructed civilian movement, resource blockades, and targeted attacks on specific communities—strongly resemble early phases of the El Fasher siege, raising serious concerns about an escalation toward mass civilian harm.
Limited Access to Information & Heightened Risk of Atrocities and Local Exploitation
As armed groups exploit ethnic divisions for recruitment, taxation, and territorial expansion, local populations are increasingly vulnerable to atrocities, forced displacement, and exploitation, underscoring the urgent need for preventive measures and sustained humanitarian monitoring. This is layered by a limited access to information which further hinders efforts to advance accountability and mitigate the violations.
Humanitarian Concerns
The cities of Kadugli and El Dilling, home to an estimated 270,000 people, are under siege, exacerbating the deterioration of humanitarian situation
Severe food insecurity and health crises in IDP camps and besieged cities.
Sieges and raging battles in active conflict zones are hindering humanitarian access and aid delivery
Call to Action
To the warring parties to cease hostilities immediately and observe their obligation to protect civilians and adhere to the international humanitarian law and international law of human rights
To the warring parties to facilitate humanitarian access and aid delivery to affected areas and allow independent investigations into human rights violations.
To the local and native leaders to refrain from engaging, supporting or exacerbating the already inflamed local dynamics by joining the warring parties in prosecutions of civilians and local groups.
To the international community to ensure protection of civilians and promote accountability by establishing safe humanitarian corridors and guarantee unimpeded delivery of aid and supporting independent and impartial investigative mechanisms to document violations and prosecute perpetrators in accordance with international law.
To the international community, benefactors and NGOs to support the Kordofan region’s civil society groups in their efforts to alleviate the suffering of civilians, and bridge the gaps of needed actions on ground:
Humanitarian preparedness for potential siege/escalation including pre-positioning medical supplies (IV fluids, blood bags, essential medicines), tarps, WASH kits, and shelter for informal IDP areas.
Safe, flexible funding for HRDs & community responders including funds usable for both humanitarian support and protection/documentation.
Targeted legal aid, especially for women for in -advance preparing for the arbitrary detention pattern including case tracking and support for women facing death-penalty charges.
Sudan Human Rights Hub Team
For more information contact us at: info@sudanhrh.org
Visit: https://sudanhrh.org/en
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