The Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, expressed grave concern over reports from the ground which paint a harrowing picture of El Fasher, North Darfur under siege, with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) having breached the third defensive line and engaging in intense, door-to-door combat that has been raging for days. “The ongoing RSF’s multi-pronged assault, launched from at least four directions, has created a sense of existential dread among the civilian population, with the Abu Shouk IDP camp teetering on the edge of disaster. The recent escalation of hostilities has unleashed a maelstrom of violence that threatens to consume everything in its path, leaving a trail of devastation and despair in its wake,” emphasized the Special Adviser.

“I reiterate my call to urgently prevent the worst possible outcomes. I join the international community in, once again, calling upon all warring parties to prioritize the protection of civilians and adhere to their own commitments, including under the Jeddah Declaration, and obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law,” she stressed, recalling her previous statements of 6 June 2024, 5 June 2024, 15 April 2024, 21 December 2023, 14 November 2023, 5 September 2023, 13 June 2023, 3 November 2022 and 8 September 2022, as well as her briefings on the situation of Sudan to the UN Human Rights Council and Security Council in September and May 2024, respectively. In each of these public statements, the Special Adviser has emphasized the identity dimension of the ongoing violence and the very serious presence of risk factors and indicators for the crime of genocide, the gravest of crimes.

The Special Adviser also highlighted the direct links between impunity from past violations and the continued vulnerability of innocent civilians. “I say this once again: Those who are responsible of these heinous acts, which are a blatant disregard of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, must be held accountable. I demand that all parties grant safe and unhindered access to humanitarian aid, allowing it to reach those in dire need.”

The Special Adviser further expressed grave concerns over the open-source reports of social media posts promoting such attacks in El Fasher and across different parts of Sudan. “This is absolutely disturbing. Promoting the actions of perpetrators only serves to embolden further violence. Perpetrators must be held accountable – and not glorified – for their actions. We cannot let them stoke further hatred, division, and violence in the country, where all the risks and indicators for the crime of genocide and related crimes are only prevailing. I reiterate: the fighting needs to stop immediately. This horrific violence, which has caused unsurmountable suffering, must end as a matter of immediate urgency. Enough innocent blood has been spilled. Enough suffering has been created. Innocent civilians must be protected – now. We cannot let this suffering continue any longer,” she implored.

The Special Adviser also reiterated her call to all parties to engage seriously in the ongoing efforts aimed at brokering a peaceful resolution to the conflict and protecting the human rights of the Sudanese people. “The world cannot afford to stand idly by as El Fasher descends into chaos. We must act now to prevent a disaster of unimaginable proportions. I reiterate the call of the Secretary-General for the Parties to return to political dialogue as the only path to a negotiated settlement and to implement resolution 2724 adopted by the Security Council in March 2024,” the Special Adviser concluded.