European Union (EU) reiterated its strong condemnation of the ongoing fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said in a statement that this conflict fundamentally threatens the safety and security of the people of Sudan as well as the unity and stability of the country and the region.
As long as the warring parties continue to fight, the whole of Sudan faces further division and fragmentation, putting at stake its territorial integrity and national sovereignty, he added.
Borrell appealed to all parties to silence their guns and end hostilities immediately without pre-conditions. The EU deplored the dramatic escalation of violence and the irreparable cost to human life in Darfur and throughout the country, he stated.
Borrell added that “The EU regrets Sudan’s request to terminate the mandate of the UN Integrated Transition Assistance Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS) and calls on Sudan to continue its cooperation with the UN.”
He stressed that the EU is deeply concerned by the reports on mass violence against civilians, calling on all actors to halt attacks on civilian infrastructure, including schools and healthcare facilities. Unrestricted, timely and safe humanitarian access across Sudan, particularly in conflict areas, must be guaranteed by all parties to the conflict.
Since April, forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan — Sudan’s de facto head of state — have been at war with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
Intense fighting continued in Khartoum and its surrounding areas, as well as the vast western region of Darfur, where some of the bloodiest clashes have taken place.