BRUSSELS
The European Union and several European countries urged de-escalation in Sudan on Wednesday following the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) seizure of El-Fasher, the capital of the Darfur region.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Commissioner Hadja Lahbib said in a joint statement that the targeting of civilians based on ethnicity “highlights the brutality of the RSF.”
The bloc reiterated its support for relief efforts and diplomatic initiatives to secure a permanent ceasefire, stressing that it remains in contact with both parties and international partners to facilitate a return to negotiations.
The EU also underlined its backing for international efforts to ensure accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
France condemned the escalation of fighting in El-Fasher, warning of a worsening humanitarian crisis that has gripped the city for nearly 18 months.
The Foreign Ministry said it “strongly condemns the extension and intensification since Oct. 26 of the offensive by the Rapid Support Forces,” and voiced “deep concern over reports of atrocities, including summary executions” in El-Fasher and Bara.
Paris urged the RSF to ensure the protection of civilians and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid, while calling for both sides “to urgently engage in direct negotiations to achieve a ceasefire.”
Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry wrote on US social media platform X that civilians in El-Fasher are “trapped amid violence and blocked aid,” calling for “an immediate end to attacks, safe humanitarian access, and accountability for mass atrocities.”
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen described the situation as “unbearable,” stressing that the RSF “must protect civilians” and allow “immediate, unhindered humanitarian access.”
Sudanese authorities and international organizations have accused the RSF of committing “massacres and humanitarian violations” in El-Fasher, including “summary executions,” arbitrary arrests and displacement of civilians during its assault on the city.
Earlier Tuesday, the UN called on the RSF to allow a “safe corridor” for civilians to leave El-Fasher, while the joint force of armed movements supporting the Sudanese army accused the RSF of killing 2,000 civilians in the city on Oct. 26-27.
The RSF has denied the accusations, saying it is “cleansing El-Fasher of the last army and allied forces attempting to flee the city.”
Since April 15, 2023, the army and the RSF have been locked in a war that numerous regional and international mediations have failed to end. The conflict has killed thousands and displaced more than 15 million.
