UK minister: Sudans warring parties will be held accountable

Moatinoon
The Minister for African Affairs of the Government of the United Kingdom, Andrew Mitchell, said his country was deeply concerned at the growing evidence of serious atrocities against civilians in the Sudan.
In a press statement today, he said that the persistence of widespread violence throughout the country and the large number of civilian deaths are appalling, adding that reports of deliberate targeting and mass displacement of the Masalit community in Darfur are particularly shocking and abhorrent. Deliberate guidance of attacks against the civilian population was considered a war crime.
The British Minister confirmed that the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces were engaged in an unjustified war, in total disregard of the Sudanese people, and would be held accountable.
His country was working to end the fighting in the Sudan, including strengthening its capacity to monitor the atrocities that were occurring, noting that all evidence was shared with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Criminal Court to ensure that evidence was preserved and used to hold people accountable.
In July, the UK announced a package of sanctions to freeze assets of commercial entities associated with both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. The Minister called on international partners to join this step.
Mitchell deplored attacks on humanitarian actors and barriers to their services, such as restricted visas and customs procedures. He called on the warring parties to comply with their obligations to protect civilians under international humanitarian law.
He declared the United Kingdoms solidarity with the people of the Sudan in their demands for a peaceful and democratic future.