Geneva: The United Nations Human Rights Council held an emergency session on Friday as global concern deepened over reports of large scale killings and other serious abuses in the Sudanese city of El Fasher. The city fell to the Rapid Support Forces in late October after months of intense fighting.

During the special meeting, member states approved a resolution calling for an immediate investigation into what the UN describes as some of the worst crimes seen in the current conflict. The fact finding mission will examine reports of mass killings, targeted attacks on ethnic groups, sexual violence, abductions, and the destruction of essential services.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk said the world had watched the situation in El Fasher deteriorate for months and warned that the scale of suffering was the result of global inaction. He said the civilians trapped inside the city had endured unimaginable violence and now face severe shortages of food, water and medicine.

Aid agencies say tens of thousands of people have fled since the takeover, while many more remain stranded without safe routes out. Humanitarian groups have been unable to deliver supplies due to blocked roads and continued fighting around the city.

A group of countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway pushed for the emergency session, saying the situation now threatens the stability of the wider region. They stressed that protecting civilians and ensuring accountability were urgent priorities.

Sudan’s representative told the council that the country was fighting for its survival and accused the RSF of receiving outside support. The RSF denies intentionally targeting civilians or restricting aid.

With the adoption of the resolution, the UN will begin gathering evidence and reporting on those responsible for the violence. However, diplomats and rights groups warn that access to El Fasher remains extremely difficult, raising concerns about how quickly investigators can begin their work.