UK Foreign Secretary warns of 'atrocities' facing Sudan's Al-Bayid city
The UK Foreign Secretary warned of a recurrence of the El Fasher atrocities in Al-Bayid city, Sudan.
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
London, June 23 (KUNA) -- British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper warned on Tuesday that the city of El Obeid in Sudan faces atrocities similar to those that occurred in El Fasher last year, emphasizing that such devastation must not be allowed to happen again. Her statement came in response to a sharp escalation in military hostilities and growing fears of imminent "mass atrocities" against civilians in El Obeid. Cooper added that she had met survivors of El Fasher who are still haunted by the trauma they endured, stating, "We cannot allow this to happen again in El Obeid."
She noted that the world had witnessed with horror last year how the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) carried out rape, looting, and killings in El Fasher, leaving behind destruction and death.
In a related development, the United Kingdom and its allies—France, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Italy, and Norway—issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over ongoing drone attacks by the RSF targeting civilian infrastructure in El Obeid.
Cooper, in the joint statement, stressed that "any human rights violations in El Obeid will undermine the path toward a credible political process and lasting peace." She pointed out that "over the past 24 hours, the escalation of drone strikes and attacks on vital civilian infrastructure has continued."
She highlighted that "main supply routes through the states of North Kordofan and White Nile have been shelled, along with fuel stations and power lines, cutting off access to essential services for more than 500,000 people, including 200,000 internally displaced persons who have already been forced to flee to other parts of Sudan."
The statement further noted that "the fighting has already caused massive civilian casualties and raises urgent concerns about a significant escalation and an increased risk of atrocities." It warned that "as the rainy season approaches, continued attacks on fuel infrastructure threaten to worsen food shortages and plunge the region into darkness due to limited electricity supplies."
The joint statement called on the Rapid Support Forces to immediately halt their offensive to enable civilians to leave safely and to ensure the rapid, safe, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. (End)
