U.S. condemns RSF siege of El Fasher, warns external backers
May 24, 2024 (NEW YORK) – U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, strongly condemned the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for their siege of El Fasher and warned external backers against continued support to the warring parties.
On Friday, the Security Council held a private meeting to discuss Sudan’s complaint against the United Arab Emirates, which is accused of fuelling the conflict in Sudan and providing weapons and logistics to the paramilitary group.
In a statement released after the meeting, Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield condemned the RSF for their siege on El Fasher and their role in the deteriorating humanitarian situation.
“The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to tighten its siege on El Fasher – stoking military escalation, cutting off critical lifelines, and inching closer to launching a large-scale massacre not seen since the conflict began,” she stated.
The U.S. ambassador underscored that Washington has already begun to impose sanctions on the group’s leaders responsible for these military operations.
“The RSF must pull back its forces from El Fasher or face further consequences,” she warned.
The RSF, this week, shelled Abu Shouk IDP camp, forcing some 60% of its 400,000 residents to flee their homes. Also, over a dozen trucks carrying aid for more than 121,000 people have been trying to reach El Fasher for over a month but have been hampered because of the security situation.
Turning to external actors, she warned that those who continue to support either side will be held accountable for the ongoing atrocities.
“External backers of the belligerents continue the flow of weapons into the country in flagrant violation of the UN arms embargo – further perpetuating the war, fracturing the country, and destabilizing the region. Any individual or country that continues to provide support to either side bears responsibility for the atrocities they commit,” she stated.
Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths briefed the Security Council meeting on Sudan.
The 15-member body has not issued a statement. The private meeting format allows Sudan and the UAE to participate.
The African Union’s three representatives at the Security Council, Algeria, Sierra Leone, and Mozambique, which chairs the UN body for May, held a series of meetings during the past weeks to adopt a common African position.
Also, Sudan filed a new request calling to condemn the UAE for providing the RSF with arms, supplies and logistics to wage a “war of aggression” against Sudan and to commit crimes against the peace and a breach of regional and international peace and security.
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield called for the immediate opening of the Adré border crossing and the removal of all obstacles to humanitarian aid delivery.
“Yet the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) continues to systematically obstruct lifesaving aid, starving millions of innocent civilians caught in the middle of this war. The SAF must open the Adre border crossing immediately and remove all obstacles to humanitarian operations so communities in need may be reached”.
(ST)