NEW YORK CITY: Saudi Arabia strongly condemned recent attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces against civilians in Sudan, including women and children, as he called on all parties involved in the civil war to honor their humanitarian obligations and work toward a permanent ceasefire agreement.
Speaking on Monday during a meeting of the Security Council to discuss the situation in Sudan, Abdulaziz Alwasil, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN, said the people of the country faced mounting insecurity, food shortages and lack of basic necessities.
According to UN and civil society reports, the RSF continues to commit serious humanitarian violations against civilians in areas under its control, he added.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia strongly condemns criminal attacks waged by the RSF recently against unarmed Sudanese civilians,” Alwasil said, adding that they had killed dozens of people, including women and children, and included the destruction of relief convoys and aid facilities in North and South Kordofan.
“These heinous acts cannot be justified under any circumstance.”
He called on all parties involved in the conflict to fulfill their “moral and humanitarian duties” by ensuring aid can reach people in need in accordance with international humanitarian law.
The humanitarian consequences of the war were a direct result of attacks on the unity and sovereignty of Sudan, and the integrity of its institutions, developments that had worsened the conflict and contributed to insecurity across the country, Alwasil said.
He highlighted commitments made by the warring factions under the May 2023 Jeddah Declaration, as well as UN Security Council resolutions, which he described as binding and unequivocal and which “cannot be called into question nor misinterpreted.”
Saudi Arabia, he said, had made sustained efforts since the beginning of the conflict to help end the civil war, including through the negotiations in Jeddah and cooperation with other countries, notably the US.
He thanked the administration in Washington and its envoy, Massad Boulos, and commended their efforts to help secure a humanitarian truce and a durable solution to the crisis.
“Access to humanitarian assistance remains one of our utmost priorities,” Alwasil said.
He welcomed the decision by the Sudanese government to keep the Adre crossing on the border with Chad open to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, without restrictions, and said this was consistent with international humanitarian law and the Jeddah Declaration, as well as Security Council resolutions.
Alwasil also welcomed the role of regional organizations, including the African Union and the League of Arab States, and commended the efforts of UN’s special envoy, Ramtane Lamamra.
He said Saudi Arabia has provided direct humanitarian and evacuation assistance during the conflict, underscoring what he described as the Kingdom’s steadfast support for Sudan and its people.
He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire agreement and the start of an inclusive political process that is Sudanese-led and free from foreign dictates.
Such a process, he said, should protect state institutions, strengthen security and stability, help Sudan overcome its current hardships and move toward “a future of peace, stability and prosperity.”
Sudan has been locked in a civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and rival military faction the RSF since April 2023.
