London: Twenty-five Western states condemned all the atrocities committed against civilians following the recent capture of the city of El-Fasher by Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF). "We condemn all atrocities in the strongest possible terms and demand that the violence stops immediately," the countries said in a joint statement, as reported by the UK Foreign Office.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the statement highlighted the essential work being done to document the violations committed by the RSF in El Fasher. The countries emphasized that impunity must end and accountability must be upheld, asserting that protection and justice for the Sudanese people are both a legal obligation and an urgent moral imperative. The signatories, which include foreign ministers and senior officials, expressed deep concern over reports of systematic violence against civilians in Sudan.
The statement noted grave alarm over reports of systematic and ongoing violence against civilians during and after the fall of El Fasher to RSF, as well as the escalation of conflict across North Darfur and the Kordofan region. It condemned the deliberate targeting of civilians, ethnically motivated mass killings, conflict-related sexual violence, starvation as a method of warfare, and obstruction of humanitarian access as abhorrent violations of international humanitarian law.
The statement warned that such acts, if substantiated, could constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity under international law. It is intolerable that widespread starvation and famine persist due to access restrictions, the statement stressed, affirming that the WFP, UNICEF, and other humanitarian agencies must receive the necessary permissions to conduct their life-saving work and reach populations in need.
The statement urged all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law, which includes an obligation to guarantee rapid and unimpeded passage of food, medicine, and other essential supplies, and to grant civilians safe passage. "We call on the parties to immediately facilitate this in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 2736," it added.
Additionally, the statement called for the parties to agree to a ceasefire and a three-month humanitarian truce, as outlined in the Quad statement. The countries voiced concerns about attempts to partition Sudan and reaffirmed their support for the sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the country. They emphasized the right of its people to live in peace, dignity, and justice without external interference.
The statement concluded with a call for the parties to come to the negotiating table, stressing that only a broad and inclusive Sudanese-owned political process can resolve Sudan's challenges. The countries endorsing the statement include the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Ireland, Iceland, Slovenia, Croatia, Cyprus, Slovak, Czech, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Poland, Luxemburg, Romania, and Switzerland.