The United States has called for an immediate cessation of attacks in Al-Fashir, North Darfur, where thousands have fled fighting, voicing deep concern over reports of an imminent large-scale attack by Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Thursday that “the United States calls on the warring parties to immediately cease further attacks in and around Al-Fashir to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law concerning civilians as reaffirmed in the May 11 Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan.”
“We echo Governor Nimr Abdulrahman’s appeal to the warring parties to allow civilians to safely move to more secure areas,” Blinken said.
Blinken added, “We condemn reported abuses by the RSF and allied forces in connection with their assault on Nyala, including civilian deaths, arbitrary arrests, detention of medical personnel, and looting of health facilities.”
The statement called on the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF to utilize the recently resumed Jeddah talks to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access and agree on ceasefires and other confidence-building measures, stressing that the focus must be on protecting civilians, providing humanitarian assistance, and negotiating an end to the conflict.
The U.S. statement comes as tensions escalate in Sudan. Last week, the RSF announced their control over Nyala in South Darfur, following the withdrawal of the army’s 16th Infantry Division from the Division’s headquarters in Nyala. They also declared their control over the headquarters of the 21st Division in Zalingei, Central Darfur.