The Troika which consist of Norway, the United Kingdom, and the United States have condemned in strongest terms the report of atrocities ongoing in Darfur, Sudan.
In a joint statement on Friday, while calling on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied militias to cease attacks and prevent the further spread of fighting immediately.
“Those responsible must be held to account. Full access to conflict- affected areas must be granted that abuses can be properly investigated and so that life-saving humanitarian aid can reach survivors who urgently need it.
“We are gravely concerned about reports of a military build-up near El Fasher, North Darfur, and Nyala, South Darfur, where further violence will put more civilians at risk”, these countries added.
Troika stated that expansion of the needless and ruinous conflict between RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to Darfur has caused incalculable human suffering.
These countries demanded that those responsible for any atrocities against civilians, especially those including Conflict Related Sexual Violence, targeting of humanitarian relief actors, medical personnel, and other service providers, must be held to account.
“We remind the parties to conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law related to protect civilians. We call on all parties to the conflict to enable humanitarian access in Darfur and throughout the country.
“The SAF and the RSF must silence their guns and find a negotiated exit from the conflict they started. The security forces must relinquish hold on power to a civilian transitional government that fulfills the Sudanese people’s aspirations for freedom, peace, and justice”, they said.
Meanwhile, International human rights groups and the United Nations have also condemned the atrocities committed in Sudan since the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out on 15 April.
Dozens of human rights organisations, activists, lawyers, doctors, and others have called on the UN Security Council to refer the violations committed by the two warring parties to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In a statement released on Thursday, United Nations Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) condemned atrocities committed by both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF, which is supported by Arab militias in Darfur.
The statement condemned the indiscriminate targeting of civilian populations and public facilities by RSF and allied militias, particularly in the locality of Sirba, which is 45kms north of West Darfur’s capital el- Geneina, between 24 and 26 July.
UNITAMS believes war crimes have been committed especially in Darfur, the vast region made up of five states in western Sudan.
