{"id":20086015,"date":"2024-05-20T10:54:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-20T08:54:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/?p=20086015"},"modified":"2024-05-20T21:10:46","modified_gmt":"2024-05-20T19:10:46","slug":"uk-foreign-minister-appalled-at-violence-around-north-darfur-capital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dabangasudan.org\/en\/all-news\/article\/uk-foreign-minister-appalled-at-violence-around-north-darfur-capital","title":{"rendered":"UK Foreign Secretary \u2018appalled\u2019 at violence around North Darfur capital"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

British foreign secretary David Cameron condemned attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against civilians and the aerial bombardment by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur. On Sunday, El Fasher witnessed a renewal of artillery shelling.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

British Foreign Secretary, David Cameron, said in a statement<\/a> on the ministry\u2019s website yesterday that the \u201cviolence in and around El Fasher was appalling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVillages around El Fasher have been burnt down. Hospitals have been destroyed. Hundreds are dead and injured from the fighting in recent days, and over 800,000 civilians have no means of escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018The pattern of ongoing violence in Darfur, including clear systematic attacks against civilians, could amount to crimes against humanity\u2026\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He expressed grave concern at credible reports<\/a> that some of the violence in Darfur was ethnically motivated. \u201cAttacks against\u202fMasalit, Fur, Zaghawa, and other non-Arab communities by the RSF and allied militias are already taking place around El Fasher.\u201d he said. \u201cThe pattern of ongoing violence in Darfur, including clear systematic attacks against civilians, could amount to crimes against humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cameron also condemned the indiscriminate shelling and aerial bombardment of densely populated areas by SAF, resulting in heavy loss of civilian life; calling on the warring parties to stop. The foreign minister further demands the RSF end its siege of El Fasher and called on the parties to immediately de-escalate and fully respect the commitments made in the Jeddah Declaration, including allowing unhindered and safe humanitarian access and compliance with their obligations under international law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018We will continue to explore all levers to disrupt the funding of those perpetrating the violence\u2026\u2019<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He called for those responsible for violence against civilians to be held accountable. \u201cThanks to open-source reporting, including that funded by the UK, we have detail about who on the ground is responsible. And we will continue to explore all levers to disrupt the funding of those perpetrating the violence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shelling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Residents of El Fasher<\/a> have reported that the city saw a cautious calm since Saturday, with artillery shelling continuing from time to time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The El Fasher Resistance Committees reported through its official Facebook page on Saturday that clashes that erupted on Friday caused the injury of 86 civilians. There is an unknown number of deaths due to indiscriminate shelling on neighbourhoods and stray bullets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNICEF said renewed clashes in El Fasher had led to the destruction of a children\u2019s hospital, the loss of two children and the risk of 750,000 children\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n