International Statement Condemns El Fasher Atrocities, Urges Immediate Ceasefire in Sudan

Moatinoon
Foreign ministers of the Sudan Core Group at the Human Rights Council—Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom—voiced “collective outrage and profound sorrow” over the findings of the UN Fact-Finding Mission report on violations in El Fasher.

The statement, released by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, said the report documented heinous acts committed by the Rapid Support Forces during their 18-month siege of the city, including systematic obstruction of food and humanitarian supplies, attacks on markets, medical facilities, and infrastructure, and the trapping of civilians to prevent escape. Some residents, it noted, resorted to eating livestock feed to survive.

According to the report, the final offensive involved executions of civilians across the city and the use of El Fasher University and El-Saudi Hospital as mass killing sites. Witnesses described pregnant women being shot and civilians massacred while attempting to flee, as well as widespread sexual and gender-based violence, including gang rape.

The statement said violence was directed primarily at the Fur and Zaghawa communities as part of what investigators assessed as a deliberate attempt to bring about their “physical destruction, in whole or in part.” It concluded that RSF-led violence in El Fasher amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity and bears “the hallmarks of genocide.”

It added that both the International Criminal Court and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights have indicated in preliminary assessments that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in the city.

The ministers warned that, without effective prevention and accountability, the risk of further genocidal violence remains acute, urging the international community to intensify efforts to prevent a recurrence of atrocities, ensure civilian protection, expand and enforce the UN arms embargo, and end restrictions on humanitarian access.

They expressed full solidarity with victims in Sudan and called on warring parties to agree urgently to an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, allow unfettered humanitarian access, and grant international justice mechanisms full access to affected areas and populations.

The Sudan Core Group also announced plans to establish a coalition of like-minded states and regional institutions to work together to prevent further atrocities and support the Sudanese people in laying foundations for justice.