UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥� The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution Thursday demanding that Sudan鈥檚 paramilitary force immediately halt its siege of the only capital in the vast that it doesn鈥檛 control and where more than a million people are reportedly trapped.
The British-sponsored resolution, which was approved by a vote of 14-0 with Russia abstaining, also calls on the paramilitary Rapid Support Force and Sudanese military 鈥渢o seek an immediate cessation of hostilities鈥� leading to an end to their more than year-long war.
It expresses 鈥済rave concern鈥� at the spreading violence and credible reports that the are carrying out 鈥渆thnically motivated violence鈥� in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, as well as last year in El Geneina in West Darfur.
Britain鈥檚 U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward told the council after the vote that the resolution sends a clear message: the RSF must 鈥渋mmediately stop the siege of El Fasher and that all sides step back from the brink.鈥�
鈥淎n attack on the city would be catastrophic for the 1.5 million people sheltering in the city,鈥� she warned. 鈥淭his brutal and unjust conflict must end.鈥�
Sudan plunged into conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between its military and paramilitary leaders broke out in the capital Khartoum and spread to other regions including Darfur. The U.N. says over 14,000 people have been killed and 33,000 injured.
Two decades ago, Darfur became synonymous with genocide and war crimes, particularly by the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias, against populations that identify as Central or East African. Up to 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes.
That legacy appears to have returned, with the International Criminal Court鈥檚 prosecutor, Karim Khan, saying in January there are grounds to believe , crimes against humanity, or genocide in Darfur.
The RSF was formed from Janjaweed fighters by former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, who ruled the country for three decades before being . He is wanted by the ICC on charges of genocide and other crimes during the conflict in Darfur in the 2000s.
The resolution demands that the RSF and government forces ensure the protection of civilians, including allowing those wishing to move within El Fasher or leave the city for safer areas to do so.
It also calls on all nations to halt interference fomenting conflict and instability instead of peace efforts. And it reminds countries supplying weapons to the combatants that they are violating a U.N. arms embargo and could face sanctions.
U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the council on April 19 that who continue to flout U.N. sanctions aimed at helping end the conflict. 鈥淭his is illegal, it is immoral, and it must stop,鈥� she said.
She didn鈥檛 name any of the foreign supporters.
But , who led a military takeover of Sudan in 2021, is a close ally of neighboring Egypt and its president, former army chief Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. In February, Sudan鈥檚 foreign minister held talks in Tehran with his Iranian counterpart amid unconfirmed reports of drone purchases for government forces.
, the leader of the RSF, has reportedly received support from Russia鈥檚 Wagner mercenary group. U.N. experts said in a recent report that the RSF has also received support from Arab allied communities and new military supply lines running through Chad, Libya and South Sudan.
warned that if outside interference in the conflict continues it will 鈥渙nly foment further instability.鈥�
鈥淭his resolution could not come at a more precarious moment,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he people of El Fasher are trapped. They鈥檙e surrounded by heavily armed RSF. Food, water, medicine and other essentials are drying up. Famine is setting in, and the threat of a large-scale massacre looms large.鈥�
Already, hundreds of people have been killed and scores wounded in El Fasher, she said.
The resolution expresses concern at 鈥渢he catastrophic and deteriorating humanitarian situation, including crisis-level or worse acute food insecurity, and the imminent risk of famine, particularly in Darfur.鈥�
The U.N. humanitarian office said Tuesday that the U.N. and aid organizations 鈥渁re working against the clock to stave off famine and mitigate the most pressing humanitarian needs in Sudan."
But the U.N. said this is 鈥渋ncredibly challenging鈥� because this year鈥檚 for Sudan is just 16% 鈥� with less than $441 million received of the $2.7 billion required.
Thomas-Greenfield said over 25 million Sudanese are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, and she and many council members urged that more crossings be opened 鈥� and that donors come forward.
Russia鈥檚 deputy U.N. ambassador Anna Evstigneeva said Moscow abstained because the resolution 鈥渋s at odds with the reality on the ground,鈥� ignores the views of the Sudanese themselves, and doesn鈥檛 contain 鈥渁ny substantive proposals鈥� to end the war.
鈥淭he priority should be efforts that seek to preserve state institutions, unity and the territorial integrity of the country through finding a political solution that is defined by the Sudanese people themselves,鈥� she said.
Edith M. Lederer, The Associated Press
