The United Nations has strongly condemned the indiscriminate strike on the Sabreen market and attacks on several residential neighborhoods in Omdurman, in Sudan’s Khartoum State, on February 1.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, said in a press release that the strike left at least 60 people dead and more than 150 others injured.
“I also deplore the appalling reported killing of scores of civilians in attacks in El Obeid and Um Rawaba in North Kordofan State, as well as North Darfur and South Darfur states, between January 30 and February 1,” Nkweta-Salami said.
She said the attacks constituted serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law, and asserted that the perpetrators must be held accountable.
The deliberate targeting of civilian areas, the UN official went on, represents a blatant disregard for human life and the most basic principles of the laws of war. Such atrocities must cease immediately.
Nkweta-Salami conveyed her condolences to all the affected families, and renewed the call to the warring parties to avoid targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure and to uphold their responsibilities under international humanitarian law by using every possible measure to protect civilians.
“The suffering of Sudanese civilians has gone on for too long. It is long past time to end this war and prevent further devastation,” she said.