ICRC Leader calls for world leaders to act to end killing in Sudan
(MENAFN) The president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Friday called on world leaders to take urgent measures to halt the indiscriminate killing of civilians in Sudan, describing the crisis in El-Fasher and other areas as a “humanitarian catastrophe.”
“The appalling abuses of the rules of war we are witnessing in Sudan are indefensible,” Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement. “No patient should be killed in a hospital, and no civilian shot while trying to flee their home.”
She emphasized, “These horrific attacks must stop and international humanitarian law must be respected,” warning that civilians are facing “brutal attacks, rampant sexual violence and the deliberate destruction of essential services,” with hospitals and health centers “once dedicated to saving lives [becoming] scenes of death and destruction.”
Spoljaric noted that the ICRC has repeatedly urged combatants to comply with international humanitarian law, but violations “continue to be committed with impunity.” She also condemned recent assaults on aid workers, pointing out that “just this week in North Kordofan, five of our colleagues from the Sudanese Red Crescent Society were killed.”
“Leaders must now show political courage to stop the killing,” she said, highlighting the responsibility of all states to uphold and enforce international humanitarian law. “Lives in Sudan now depend on strong and decisive action to stop these atrocities. The world cannot stand by as civilians are stripped of safety and dignity,” she added.
Separately, the World Food Program (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain voiced alarm over the “devastating violence” in El-Fasher. “Families are running for their lives, hungry and exhausted. These brutal attacks must end. Now,” she said, stressing the need for UN operations to maintain “full independence and neutrality — and stand with the people of Sudan in their time of immense need.”
Sudan has been engulfed in civil conflict since April 2023, with fighting between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) causing thousands of deaths and displacing millions. El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, fell under RSF control on Sunday after months of siege, with rights groups accusing the forces of mass killings, arbitrary detention, and attacks on hospitals.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
