The war in Sudan continues to claim the lives of the innocent civilians amid complete lack of accountability or serious steps being taken by the international community to stop the ongoing bloodshedding of civilians and the human rights violations committed by the warring parties.
On Thursday, the Sudanese army announced that an indiscriminate attack by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, resulted in the killing of five children and injuries to four women.
According to a military statement, RSF fighters targeted several locations in the city, prompting the army to launch a sweep operation, during which it seized two RSF combat vehicles.
El-Fasher is a critical humanitarian centre for the Darfur region, where clashes between the army and RSF have intensified since April 2023. While the army has made gains in Khartoum and other areas, RSF forces continue to hold most of Darfur. The ongoing conflict has claimed over 20,000 lives, though US research suggests the true death toll may be as high as 130,000, and has displaced 15 million people.
Meanwhile, the Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament condemned the widespread use of sexual violence as a weapon of war in Sudan’s nearly two-year conflict, where women and children are at extreme risk. The group urged the Council to impose targeted sanctions on those responsible for severe human rights violations.
UNICEF reports that approximately 12.1 million people are at risk of gender-based violence, with 221 cases of child rape recorded since last year, including 16 victims under the age of five.
In an urgent resolution initiated by Renew Europe and adopted by the European Parliament, calls have been made for the EU and its Member States to support the International Criminal Court’s investigation into genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity in Darfur. The resolution also demands increased humanitarian aid for Sudan and neighbouring countries, as well as financial support for survivors of sexual violence.
All parties in the conflict must guarantee safe, timely, and unrestricted access for humanitarian organisations, including the World Food Programme, as two-thirds of Sudan’s population is at risk.
MEP Hilde Vautmans (Open Vld, Belgium), Renew Europe Group’s coordinator in the Committee on Foreign Affairs and lead negotiator on the resolution, stated:
“Sexual violence destroys societies and entire generations. For too long, Europe has ignored the crisis in Sudan. When will we take responsibility and respond to the humanitarian disaster unfolding on the African continent? Today, we send a clear message—Europe must act. A ceasefire is urgently needed. We call for sanctions against war criminals and demand the enforcement and expansion of the UN arms embargo across Sudan. Protecting women and children from sexual violence must be a priority. It has to stop now.”
The international community is required to take an urgent action to preserve the lives of civilians and protect the vulnerable groups, and bring those responsible to justice.
