British Foreign Secretary David Lammy has called on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia to lift its siege of El Fasher, warning of support for International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations.
In a statement, Lammy said the UK had received “shocking reports” of the latest RSF attack on the North Darfur city of El Fasher and surrounding areas. The statement noted that in Abu Shouk IDP camp, assaults earlier this week left at least 40 unarmed civilians dead — later updated to 57 — many of whom had already fled violence in El Fasher.
The statement added that as fighting intensifies, all routes out of El Fasher remain blocked, trapping hundreds of thousands now facing famine. There are “widespread reports of atrocities” and a rapid spread of disease, including cholera. Those who managed to flee to camps like Abu Shouk were already deprived of aid — and are now under attack.
“These assaults are not isolated incidents, but part of a consistent pattern of deliberate violence and brutality against civilians” by the RSF, the statement warned.
The UK Foreign Office further noted that last month the ICC Prosecutor confirmed there are reasonable grounds to believe war crimes and crimes against humanity have been — and continue to be — committed in Darfur. Deliberate attacks on civilians constitute a clear violation of international law, and those responsible must be held to account.
