Rebel group must be sanctioned by UN security council say Sudan

Sudan has urged the United Nations Security Council to follow up their condemnation of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rebel group with formal sanctions.

As reported by Saudi news agency Ahsarq Al-Awsat on April 20th, the Foreign Minister for Sudan welcomed a statement condemning the crimes committed against the civilian population in North Darfur however has now urged the council to go a step further and issue sanctions against the rebel group.

The minister went on to ask for an end to “foreign meddling” in the war and to ensure that the actions of the security council are able to be implemented against the RSF.

The UN released a statement on April 18th saying that: “The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the repeated attacks on El Fasher as well as on the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps for internally displaced persons in recent days by the RSF.”

In response to the statement, the RSF has escalated their attacks on refugee camps and has done their best to prevent the delivery of humanitarian aid to al-Fasher as part of its “genocide campaign” according to the Foreign Ministry.

The attacks come in the wake of the RSF formerly declaring a rival, paramilitary government in Sudan, something which they have been planning for months.

The groups leader Mohammed Dagalo claimed that the RSF would form a rival government presiding over all regions in their control: ““On this anniversary, we proudly declare the establishment of the Government of Peace and Unity, a broad coalition that reflects the true face of Sudan.”

The announcement came just days after the civil war progressed into its third year of activity and the formation shows that the war is no closer to coming to an end.

The conflict has been described as the “world’s worst humanitarian crisis” by the UN and the recent cuts to USAID by the Trump administration has only exacerbated the dire situation.

Asharq Al-Awsat, Maghrebi