Western foreign ministers decry RSF atrocities in Darfur’s El Fasher

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
10 Nov 2025 21:44

Western officials condemn war crimes by RSF after the fall of El Fasher, calling for a ceasefire, humanitarian access, and accountability.

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A Sudanese child who fled El Fasher city with family after Sudan's paramilitary forces killed hundreds of people in the western Darfur region, receives treatment at a camp in Tawila, Sudan, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 (AP)

A coalition of countries and international institutions has issued a joint statement condemning grave violations of international humanitarian law in Sudan following the Rapid Support Forces’ (RSF) seizure of El Fasher and the intensifying violence across North Darfur and Kordofan.

The statement, endorsed by foreign ministers and senior officials from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, the European Commission, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, along with support from Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Finland, Latvia, Poland, Romania, and Switzerland, expressed deep alarm over reports of atrocities committed against civilians.

The joint declaration cited serious allegations, including ethnically motivated mass killings, conflict-related sexual violence, and the use of starvation as a weapon of war. The obstruction of humanitarian aid was also highlighted as a key concern.

“Deliberate targeting of civilians, ethnically motivated mass killings, conflict-related sexual violence, starvation as a method of warfare, and obstruction of humanitarian access are abhorrent violations of international humanitarian law,” the statement read. It warned that if verified, such actions could amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Call for an immediate ceasefire and access

The coalition urged all parties to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities and a three-month humanitarian truce. It called for the safe passage of civilians and unfettered access for humanitarian organizations, including the World Food Programme (WFP) and UNICEF, to deliver critical aid.

“Only a broad and inclusive Sudanese-owned political process can resolve Sudan's challenges,” the statement emphasized, reaffirming commitment to Sudan’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.

Among the signatories were Norway’s Minister for International Development Åsmund Aukrust, Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand, and the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs Yvette Cooper.

The coordinated statement comes as reports continue to emerge of widespread violence, displacement, and targeted attacks on civilians and journalists.

Signatories

The signatories of the statement:

Åsmund Aukrust, Minister for International Development of Norway
Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management
Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia
Maxime Prévot, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, and Development Cooperation of Belgium
The Honorable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada
Mr Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia
Dr Johann David Wadephul, German Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs
Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland
Simon Harris, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland
Xavier Bettel, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of Luxembourg
Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand
Aukje de Vries, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development of the Netherlands
H.E. Juraj Blanár, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic
Ms. Tanja Fajon, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia
H.E. José Manuel Albares Bueno, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain
Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden
Elsebeth Søndergaard Krone, State Secretary for Development Policy of Denmark
Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom
Austria, Croatia, the Republic of Cyprus, Czechia (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic), Finland, Latvia, Poland (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland), Romania, and Switzerland

No peace with murderers of the Sudanese people: Darfur governor

Yesterday, the governor of Sudan's Darfur region, Minni Arcua Minnawi, stated that the leaders of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have committed crimes in El Fasher, emphasizing that they "will not be able to cover them up."

In a statement to the Sudan News Agency (SUNA), Minnawi clarified that the decision of Sudan's Security and Defense Council, backed unanimously by its leaders, confirms that "there is no truce with the killers of the Sudanese people." He added, "We will not compromise on the soil of this nation, nor will we allow its flag to be lowered or sheathed in the mud of humiliation and submission."

Darfur's regional governor indicated that the current conflict is a "war of wills and a struggle for destiny" fought by men who "have written a covenant of honor and loyalty with their blood." He affirmed that Sudan "will not betray its martyrs and will hand the nation's flag to future generations, crowned with victory."

El Fasher 'overwhelmed by grief' as atrocities escalate: UN

El Fasher has become a city overwhelmed by grief and terror as brutal violence intensifies, the UN Human Rights Office in Sudan warned last week.

According to the UN's statement, the ongoing war in Sudan has left civilians trapped and suffering “atrocities of an unimaginable scale.”

“Over the past ten days, El Fasher has witnessed an escalation of brutal attacks. It has become a city of grief,” said Li Fung, UN Human Rights Representative in Sudan, in a video posted on X, adding, "Civilians who survived 18 months of siege and hostilities are now enduring atrocities of an unimaginable scale."

Fung further stated that hundreds of civilians have been killed, including women, children, and the wounded, many of whom had sought refuge in hospitals and schools. Entire families were gunned down while fleeing, while others have simply disappeared. Thousands more have been detained, including medical workers and journalists.

UN Human Rights Council to hold emergency session on El Fasher

El Fasher was the last major city in Darfur held by the Sudanese army. For months, the city endured relentless bombardment, starvation, and siege before falling to the RSF on October 26. Witnesses have reported mass killings, while thousands remain missing or unaccounted for.

The United Nations Human Rights Council will convene an emergency session on November 14 to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in El Fasher, Sudan, following reports of mass killings during the city’s capture by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

A diplomatic note released Thursday revealed that over 50 countries backed the session proposal, led by the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway, surpassing the required threshold of one-third of current council members.