Thirty Nations, European Commission Demand Halt to Sudan Atrocities
The sweeping declaration was signed by representatives of 24 EU member states alongside Canada, Norway, New Zealand, the UK, Iceland, and Switzerland, as well as European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib. Notably absent from the bloc's representation were Greece, Croatia, and Lithuania — the only EU members not to sign.
Signatories directed their sharpest language at the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and their allied militias, "urgently" calling on all factions to "immediately cease hostilities" and flagging deep alarm over "unlawful attacks" on civilians and civilian infrastructure across Sudan's Kordofan and Darfur states.
"We condemn the abhorrent violence against civilians, particularly women and children and all serious violations of international humanitarian law in the strongest terms. These violations may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity and must be promptly and impartially investigated, with those responsible for international crimes brought to justice," the statement said.
The signatories further pressed all warring parties to honor their obligations under international humanitarian law — specifically to permit rapid, safe, and unimpeded delivery of food, medicine, and other essential aid to civilians caught in the crossfire.
"Civilians including humanitarian personnel must be protected at all times, particularly women and girls, who remain at risk of sexual and gender-based violence. Those fleeing must be granted safe passage. We stand with the people of Sudan and humanitarian organisations – local and international – who are working tirelessly and under extremely challenging conditions to assist them," it added.
The call for peace comes as casualty figures continue to mount. UN human rights office data indicate that at least 57 civilians — among them 15 children — were reportedly killed between Feb. 15 and 16 alone, across four Sudanese states.
On Feb. 15, an alleged SAF drone strike tore through Al Safiya market in North Kordofan, reportedly leaving 28 civilians dead and 13 others wounded. The very next day, a second alleged SAF drone strike hit a shelter housing internally displaced people in West Kordofan, killing 26 civilians, including 15 children. In separate strikes attributed to the paramilitary RSF, drones targeted two primary schools in South Kordofan and Al-Mazmoun Hospital in Sennar State, the UN office confirmed.
The violence reflects a broader escalation across Sudan's conflict zones. Fighting between the SAF and RSF has intensified in Darfur and across North, West, and South Kordofan, where clashes have surged since October.
The war between Sudan's army and the RSF first erupted in April 2023, following the collapse of a fragile transition toward civilian governance. On Oct. 26, RSF forces seized El Fasher — the capital of North Darfur — ending a grueling 500-day siege, triggering mass displacement and leaving survivors trapped with critically limited access to food and basic supplies.
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