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Twenty-four European and Western countries voiced concern over the ongoing killing of civilians, the destruction of infrastructure and the targeting of humanitarian missions in Sudan.
In a joint statement Wednesday, they called on the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to halt the fighting, warning that airstrikes and drone attacks on displaced people, health facilities, and food convoys have caused significant civilian casualties and hindered aid delivery.
The statement emphasized that deliberate attacks on humanitarian workers or their vehicles violate international humanitarian law and may constitute war crimes.
The countries also stressed the need for prompt, independent investigations and for those responsible to be held accountable.
The statement said the Darfur states in the west and Kordofan in the southwest are experiencing the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, citing famine and sexual violence, as well as the displacement of 100,000 people in recent months in Kordofan alone.
It called on the RSF and the Sudanese army to respect international humanitarian law and to allow rapid, safe access to food, medicine and essential supplies for civilians, with particular protection for women and girls, and to ensure the safe passage of displaced people.
In a related development, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said on Wednesday he was concerned by reports that more than 50 civilians were killed in drone airstrikes in Sudan on Sunday and Monday.
Turk urged all parties to halt the ongoing attacks, stressing the need to take urgent measures to protect civilians, including “refraining from using civilians for military purposes.”
The program said the aid delivered as part of the convoy included more than 700 tons of food supplies to support about 70,000 people, including 21,000 mothers and children, to help prevent malnutrition.
This is the first major shipment of assistance to reach residents of Dilling and Kadugli, two cities that endured a siege for two years imposed by the Rapid Support Forces and allied groups before the Sudanese army advanced into them.
Fierce fighting has been ongoing between the army and the RSF since April 2023, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 11 million people in what the United Nations describes as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
While talks on a humanitarian truce remain stalled, the U.N. has repeatedly urged the warring parties to respect international humanitarian law and facilitate access for humanitarian workers.
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