UN News Today 30 October 2025 |

Security Council briefed on ‘simply horrifying’ conditions in Sudan’s El Fasher

The situation in Sudan’s El Fasher is “simply horrifying”, according to the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Martha Pobee, who briefed the Security Council in emergency session on Thursday.

In the past week, the UN human rights office has documented widespread and serious human rights violations in and around the key city in Darfur, which fell to the RSF militia a few days ago.

After eighteen months of siege, starvation, and bombardment, the city – once a refuge for many – is now engulfed in chaos and fear, she said.

Reports are emerging of mass killings in multiple areas there. Witnesses describe summary executions during house-to-house searches – even while civilians were desperately trying to flee.

Communication lines have been cut, leaving the situation on the ground chaotic and unclear. Ms. Pobee told ambassadors the atrocities are being repeated elsewhere in the country.

“Despite commitments to protect civilians, the reality is no one is safe in El Fasher. There is no safe passage for civilians to leave the city. There are also reports of large-scale atrocities perpetrated by the Rapid Support Forces in Bara, North Kordofan, following the recent capture of the city.”

Testimony from survivors who fled El Fasher paints a horrifying picture: systematic attacks on civilians, executions, sexual violence, looting, and mass displacement, said Ms. Pobee.

Mohamed Chande Othman, who chairs the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan, said the world now faces a moral crossroads: as El Fasher burns and millions risk starvation, countries must decide whether to remain silent or stand in solidarity.

Russian forces launch massive overnight strikes on Ukraine

Russian armed forces conducted another large-scale combined attack across Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday, reportedly targeting critical energy infrastructure, underscored the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission for Ukraine.

It marks the third large-scale combined strike in October on energy facilities in civilian areas – leading the major power outages.

At least two more civilians were killed, with 23 injured – including 6 children – in Zaporizhzhia, which was reportedly hit by over eight ballistic missiles and 20 drones.

Thursday’s strikes were among the largest barrage since Russia’s invasion began in 2022 – with 705 munitions reportedly deployed.

Danielle Belle, who heads the UN monitoring team, highlighted that if the pattern of attacks continues it will have “dangerous consequences” for civilians during the harsh winter months.

UN experts warn of rights violations in Nicaragua, urge protection for exiled citizens

And finally, a group of independent human rights experts are urging the international community to hold Nicaragua’s Government accountable for grave rights violations and international crimes, as they presented their findings to the General Assembly for the first time.

Jan-Michael Simon, Chair of the Group, noted that Nicaragua once stood for peace, freedom, and democracy in Central America – but now faces allegations of dismantling the rule of law and democratic institutions.

The experts’ report describes a deliberate State policy to silence dissent and consolidate absolute power through violence, fear, and the systematic erosion of rights.

Some human rights violations documented, they said, amount to crimes against humanity.

The group also condemned the rising number of enforced disappearances, calling them an act of cruelty that torments both victims and their families.

The independent experts also warned the Government has extended repression overseas by depriving some exiles of their nationality – as a tool to punish dissenters.

Charlotte Frantz, UN News