Fears of another massacre in the Sudanese region of Darfur, where genocidal violence killed as many as 300,000 people two decades ago, are rising again with a looming assault on the city of El Fasher.
In a recent press conference, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, said “the UN Security Council met to discuss the crisis in El Fasher, which is on the precipice of a large-scale massacre.”
“This is not conjecture. This is the grim reality facing millions of people in El Fasher in North Darfur. There are already credible reports that the [Rapid Support Forces] and its allied militias have razed multiple villages west of El Fasher. As I’ve said before, history is repeating itself in Darfur in the worst possible way.”
An attack on El Fasher would be “a disaster on top of a disaster,” warned Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield:
“It would put five hundred thousand internally displaced persons at risk, people who traveled from across Darfur to seek refuge. And that’s on top of the two million Sudanese who call El Fasher home.”
“A crisis of epic proportions is brewing, and to avoid further death, destruction, and suffering five things need to happen, immediately,” said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield:
“First, the RSF must end its siege and build-up of military forces in El Fasher, and swear off any attack on the city. All parties to the conflict must take urgent steps to de-escalate. The UN Security Council already called for this, but that’s not enough. Every single Member State must speak out. The entire international community must speak out.”
Second, armed actors in Sudan must respect international law and protect civilians.
Third, all regional powers must stop providing weapons to both parties in accordance with the UN arms embargo.
Fourth, the warring parties must engage in direct negotiations, because this conflict will not be solved on the battlefield.
Finally, all parties must enable unhindered humanitarian access to areas in need. Presently, five million people in Sudan are on the brink of famine, and tens of millions of people are in desperate need of aid.
The world needs to know about the grave dangers facing the people of El Fasher who are trapped under the threat of massacre. “The people of Sudan,” said Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield, “are counting on all of us at this moment of peril.”
