The foreign ministers of Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, and Ireland — the core group on Sudan at the UN Human Rights Council — announced in a joint statement on Thursday their intention to form a coalition of like-minded states and regional institutions to prevent further atrocities in Sudan. The ministers expressed profound collective outrage over the findings of the fact-finding mission’s report on El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur.
According to the report, grave abuses were committed by the Rapid Support Forces during their 18-month siege of El Fasher. Food routes and humanitarian supplies were systematically obstructed, and markets were targeted, forcing starving residents to resort to eating animal feed to survive.
The report concluded that the violence led by the Rapid Support Forces in El Fasher constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity and bears “hallmarks of genocide.”
Witnesses recounted being told, “We will exterminate you,” and described incidents in which pregnant women were shot in the abdomen. Civilians were reportedly killed while attempting to flee the city.
The report also included harrowing testimonies from women and girls subjected to horrific sexual violence, including gang rape.
The core group stressed the need for all parties to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law. It urged all states to carefully consider the report’s recommendations, including protecting civilians, expanding and enforcing the UN arms embargo, lifting restrictions on humanitarian aid delivery, and activating accountability mechanisms.
The group commended the work of the fact-finding mission, stating that the scale of violations and violence detailed in the report should shock the conscience of the international community, and reaffirmed its full solidarity with victims in Sudan.
It called on the parties to urgently agree to an immediate and sustainable ceasefire, allow unrestricted humanitarian access, end violations of international humanitarian law, and ensure the protection of civilians.
