EU Borrell warns of “another genocide” in Darfur, pleads for international response
November 12, 2023 (KHARTOUM) – The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, on Sunday condemned the massacre of over 1,000 people in Ardamata, West Darfur, and called for urgent international action to prevent “another genocide” in the region.
Following the capture of the army’s main garrison in Ardamata, members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and allied Arab militiamen launched a brutal attack on the homes of Masalit community members, killing over 2,000 people, according to a doctor from the area.
“The European Union is appalled by and condemns the recent dramatic escalation of violence in Darfur,” Borrell stated in a press release issued by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs.
The statement further asserted that these latest atrocities appear to be part of a broader “ethnic cleansing campaign conducted by the RSF with the aim of eradicating the non-Arab Masalit community from West Darfur,” echoing Borrell’s condemnation of the widespread violence against this ethnic group last June.
“The international community cannot turn a blind eye to what is happening in Darfur and allow another genocide to happen in this region,” the statement emphasized.
Borrell’s statement comes ahead of a scheduled UN Security Council meeting on November 16 to discuss the situation in Sudan.
The statement underscored the warring parties’ obligation under international law to protect civilians in Darfur and throughout Sudan.
It also revealed that the EU is collaborating with the International Criminal Court and other international partners to monitor and document human rights violations in order to ensure accountability for the perpetrators and contribute to ending the culture of impunity in Sudan.
In the wake of the seizure of the Sudanese army headquarters in El-Geneina, the RSF confirmed the appointment of its forces commander in West Darfur, Abdelrahman Juma, to his position and granted him the title of commander of the 15th Army Division in El Geneina.
Juma, who is under US sanctions, is suspected of involvement in the killing of the late West Darfur Governor Khamis Abbakar, shortly after accusing the RSF of committing atrocities in El-Geneina on June 14.