New York , April 30(Darfur 24)
Following a closed session of the UN Security Council, American Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, called on regional powers to stop providing weapons to the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)
On Monday, the UN Security Council held a closed session in response to Sudan’s request to discuss the UAE’s supply of weapons to the Rapid Support Forces and financing of fighters.
In a press statement following the session, Linda Thomas warned of an imminent massacre in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.
She said: “The Security Council met to discuss the crisis in El Fasher, where a large-scale massacre is about to occur, as the Rapid Support Forces are planning to launch an imminent attack on the city.”
She added: “History is repeating itself in Darfur in a very tragic way, and any attack on El Fasher will be a disaster upon a disaster, as it will put 500,000 internally displaced people in danger, in addition to two million Sudanese who consider the city their home.”
Linda Thomas called on the Rapid Support Forces to end the siege they are imposing on El Fasher, not to reinforce their presence, and to refrain from launching any attack on the city.
The army, the Rapid Support Forces, and the movements and militias allied with them have strengthened their preparedness to fight the bone-breaking battle in El Fasher, amid global concern that the battles there will increase the suffering of the displaced.
Linda called on the parties to the conflict to take immediate steps to reduce the escalation, respect international law, protect civilians, and take into account the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court to investigate war crimes.
The American ambassador appealed to the warring parties to resume negotiations in the city of Jeddah.
On Monday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, discussed efforts to resume negotiations between the army and the Rapid Support Forces at the Jeddah Forum, which aims to end the conflict in Sudan and prevent further widespread harm among civilians.