Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and international leaders called on Thursday for more attention to the war in Sudan, which has claimed the lives of thousands and displaced millions of civilians, and to hold those responsible for the fighting accountable.
Clooney said at a meeting in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly: “There are survivors around the world who see robust and concerted action on Ukraine, and … they are no less deserving elsewhere.”
The United States, Canada, Gambia, Norway, and the United Kingdom sponsored the meeting to draw attention to the conflict in Sudan and ensure justice.
The war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in mid-April when disputes related to an internationally backed plan for political transition escalated four years after the ousting of President Omar al-Bashir in a popular uprising.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the United States supports the announcement by the International Criminal Court prosecutor that war crimes and crimes against humanity alleged to have been committed in Sudan’s Darfur region may be subject to investigation, and that the prosecutor’s office has begun looking into recent events.
Meanwhile, Martin Griffiths, the Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations, said in a separate meeting on Sudan on Wednesday that 5,000 people have been killed, 12,000 have been injured, and more than six million people are facing severe food shortages.