Foreign ministers and senior officials from more than 30 countries and the European Commission have issued a joint statement condemning what they described as unlawful attacks on civilians and humanitarian operations as fighting continues across Sudan’s Kordofan and Darfur states.
The statement cited by the European Commission on Thursday said there had been a recent escalation in drone and aerial attacks that affected displaced people, health facilities, food convoys and areas near humanitarian compounds, leading to “a significant number” of civilian deaths and injuries and disrupting aid access and supply lines.
The 32 nations and the EU stressed that drone and rocket strikes in recent weeks hit trucks and warehouses belonging to the UN World Food Programme, as well as health facilities, causing deaths and severe injuries among civilians and humanitarian personnel and destroying supplies and infrastructure.
Intentional attacks on humanitarian staff, vehicles or supplies — or blocking relief — violate international humanitarian law and “may amount to war crimes”, according to the signatories.
Calls for ceasefire and access for aid
Darfur and Kordofan were described as the epicentre of what the statement called the world’s largest humanitarian and protection crisis, with sexual and gender-based violence described as widespread and famine confirmed.
Up to 100,000 people have been displaced in recent months in Kordofan alone.
Violations and abuses committed by the Rapid Support Forces and allied militias in and around El Fasher last October risk being repeated in Kordofan, the statement said, citing UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
The signatories called on the Rapid Support Forces, the Sudanese Armed Forces and allied militias to cease hostilities immediately, and said all parties must allow rapid, safe and unimpeded access for food, medicine and other essential supplies.
The statement was signed by officials including UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, European Commissioner Hadja Lahbib, and foreign ministers from 32 countries including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway.
