US Secretary of State Accuses Rapid Support Forces of Committing Atrocities and Calls for a Ban on Arming Them

SadaNews - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused the Rapid Support Forces of being involved in committing atrocities against civilians and held them responsible for the bloody escalation of the conflict in Sudan. He emphasized that these forces do not fulfill their commitments and that providing them with weapons should be banned.

Rubio told reporters while leaving a G7 foreign ministers' meeting in Canada on Wednesday, "What is happening there is terrifying," blaming the Rapid Support Forces, which have been engaged in a war with the army since April 2023, for recently seizing the main city of Al-Fasher in the west of the country.

He added, "I think the main problem we face is that the Rapid Support Forces agree to things then do not follow through... I believe something must be done to cut off the supplies of weapons and support that the Rapid Support Forces are receiving as they continue to make progress."

Rubio stated that the Rapid Support Forces rely on external funding and support because they lack their own weapon manufacturing facilities, noting that these come from "some countries, and we know who they are, and we will talk to them about this and make them understand that this will reflect poorly on them and the world if we cannot stop what is happening."

The US Secretary declined to mention the United Arab Emirates when asked if he was referring to it.

The Sudanese army accuses the UAE of supporting the Rapid Support Forces by sending weapons and mercenaries through African countries, which Abu Dhabi has repeatedly denied.

For his part, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to combat operations in Sudan and for stopping the flow of weapons and fighters from external parties.

Guterres stated, "I am deeply concerned about recent reports of mass atrocities and serious human rights violations in Al-Fasher and the escalating violence in Kordofan. We must stop the flow of weapons and fighters from external parties, enable humanitarian assistance to reach civilians in need swiftly, and cease hostilities."

He added, "I urge the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to cooperate with my personal envoy to Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, and take swift and concrete steps towards a negotiated settlement."

Humanitarian Crisis

On another note, Director-General of the International Organization for Migration, Amy Pope, warned that the scale of humanitarian need in Sudan is extremely high, pointing out that the current displacement crisis has reached a "massive scale," with increasing reports of horrific violence against civilians.

In a press briefing from the Sudanese capital Khartoum to journalists in New York on Wednesday, Pope revealed large displacements figures, emphasizing that the aim of her visit is to draw attention to the crisis coinciding with an unprecedented decline in global humanitarian assistance.

Pope arrived in Sudan on Monday for a 5-day visit where she is meeting with several officials and also visiting displaced persons gathering in the city of Al-Dabbah in the northern state and the capital Khartoum.

Pope spoke about the displacement of 90,000 people from Al-Fasher city over the past two weeks and the flight of about 50,000 people following events that occurred in Kordofan region in southern Sudan.

The international official conveyed testimonies from displaced individuals fleeing combat areas, where they face horrifying dangers along the way, stating, "People coming out of the area report widespread violence and sexual assaults, and shootings of civilians. They talked about seeing dead bodies along the road."

She confirmed that her goal in the country is to "ensure that the most vulnerable groups, especially women and children, receive the services they need."

Pope acknowledged the existence of "significant challenges," pointing out that current capabilities do not meet the needs, and called for immediate and urgent action to open aid corridors.

For his part, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, stated that the situation in Sudan "has reached a dangerous level of collapse, and the suffering of the people is not getting enough international attention," emphasizing that the Sudan crisis "is one of the most violent and complex conflicts on the continent, and the scale of the tragedy exceeds what is shown in the media."

Humanitarian Ceasefire

For his part, US Presidential Advisor for African Affairs Masad Boulous called for the "immediate approval and implementation of the proposed humanitarian ceasefire," stating in a statement, "The suffering of civilians has reached catastrophic levels, as millions of people lack food, water, and medical care, and every day that combat continues takes more innocent lives."

The humanitarian suffering in Sudan is exacerbated by the ongoing war since April 2023, resulting in the death of tens of thousands and the displacement of nearly 13 million people.

Boulous noted that "a strong text for the ceasefire has been proposed in the hope that both parties will quickly adhere to it, without any political or military maneuvers that cost more lives." He stressed that all parties must respect their commitments, cease hostilities, and allow humanitarian assistance to flow fully, safely, and without obstacles.

Boulous did not clarify the details of the ceasefire he mentioned or its implementation mechanism, but the Rapid Support Forces announced last Thursday that they "agreed to join the humanitarian ceasefire" proposed by the "Quad Group" comprising the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the UAE.

On October 25, Boulous announced that the Quad Group discussed in Washington reaching an urgent humanitarian ceasefire and a permanent ceasefire in Sudan, forming a joint committee to coordinate urgent priorities, and confirmed the Quad’s commitment to the ministerial statement issued on September 12.

The ministerial statement referenced by Boulous called for an initial three-month humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan to allow urgent humanitarian assistance to be delivered to all areas in preparation for a permanent ceasefire.

This would be followed by the launch of a comprehensive and transparent transitional process to be completed within nine months, which meets the aspirations of the Sudanese people for establishing an independent civilian government with broad legitimacy and accountability.

On Tuesday, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohiuddin Salem emphasized that his country's government "will continue its serious efforts to remove the militia (Rapid Support) and mercenaries from the country," noting that the "Quad Group did not issue a decision from the Security Council or any international organization, and thus the Sudanese government does not deal with it officially."

Source: Agencies