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HRW Accuses UN and African Union of Failing to Protect Civilians in Sudan

Moatinoon
Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated that the risk of ongoing abuses in North Darfur and the Kordofan region remains high. The United Nations (UN) recently warned of "the emergence of serious violations in the context of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seizure of Bara in North Kordofan."

The rights organization accused the UN and the African Union (AU) of failing to take action to protect civilians in Sudan and close the accountability gap. In a news item published on its website today, it said that several governments have hesitated to sanction officials or confront those providing military support to the RSF, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

HRW stated that the latest wave of atrocities must be a turning point. It pointed out that the RSF has committed crimes against humanity throughout the current conflict, including an ethnic cleansing campaign in West Darfur in 2023 and widespread sexual violence in Khartoum and South Kordofan.

The organization reported that it analyzed dozens of videos filmed by RSF fighters, which show them celebrating the dead, seemingly executing civilians, including the wounded, and mocking people. It noted that one such video shows an RSF soldier executing an elderly man in civilian clothes inside a medical college in a room full of bodies. The UN had previously reported that the RSF committed a massacre against patients and staff at the Saudi Maternity Hospital.

The rights organization stressed the need to intensify accountability efforts and pressure the RSF and its backers at the upcoming November 14th special session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Sudan, following an appeal submitted by 49 human rights organizations.

It called on global and regional leaders and bodies to urge the UAE to suspend its support for the RSF, sanction its leadership, and deploy a physical protection mission. HRW said that any action short of this would endanger more lives and further empower a force that has habitually terrorized and deliberately targeted civilians for years.