UK, Germany, Jordan demand immediate ceasefire in Sudan

UK, Germany, Jordan demand an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, issuing a stark warning against the horrifying violence engulfing the nation, particularly in the Darfur city of El-Fasher.

The powerful joint call, made by the nations foreign ministers at a security summit in Bahrain, underscores the growing international alarm over a conflict that has triggered the world largest humanitarian crisis and accusations of mass killings and sexual assault.

Ministers condemn violence in El-Fasher

The urgent plea follows a wave of devastating reports from North Darfur, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been accused of rampaging through El-Fasher.

United Nations officials have warned of ethnically targeted attacks, mass executions, and the systematic use of sexual violence.

While the RSF has denied one specific allegation of killing people at a hospital, evidence from satellite imagery, social media videos, and witness accounts points to widespread devastation and human rights abuses.

International community failing Sudan

Speaking at the Manama Dialogue, the ministers delivered a unified and damning assessment of the situation. UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper stated that the international community is badly failing to address the conflict in Sudan.

“The reports from Darfur in recent days have truly horrifying atrocities,” Cooper said, citing “mass executions, starvation, and the devastating use of rape as a weapon of war.” She emphasized that aid efforts are futile without a cessation of hostilities, asserting, “No amount of aid can resolve a crisis of this magnitude until the guns fall silent.”

Her sentiment was forcefully echoed by German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who described the situation in Sudan as “absolutely an apocalyptic situation.” The dire characterization highlights the scale of human suffering, which has largely unfolded away from the global spotlight.

A call to stop the crisis

Jordan Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi reinforced this point, arguing that the crisis in Sudan has not received “the attention it deserves.” He described the humanitarian situation as “of inhumane proportions” and joined his counterparts in the simple, powerful demand: “We have got to stop that.”

The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF erupted on 15 April 2023, shattering a precarious peace and plunging the nation into chaos. Numerous regional and international mediation attempts have collapsed, leaving the two military factions locked in a brutal struggle for control.

The human cost has been catastrophic. According to UN and local reports, the conflict has killed approximately 20,000 people and created a staggering displacement crisis, forcing more than 15 million people from their homes as refugees or internally displaced persons.