US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for urgent international intervention to stop the supply of weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following horrifying reports of mass killings and sexual violence in the war-torn city of el-Fasher.
Speaking after a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Canada, Rubio condemned the RSF for committing what he described as systematic atrocities, including murder, rape, and sexual violence against civilians, during its brutal takeover of the city.
The RSF seized control of el-Fasher last month after an 18-month siege, giving the group full dominance over Sudan’s Darfur region. The conflict, which erupted in April 2023, stems from a power struggle between Sudan’s army and the RSF leadership that has since plunged the country into a devastating civil war.
Sudan’s army has accused the United Arab Emirates of arming and financing the RSF through networks in neighboring African countries — allegations the UAE has strongly denied.
Rubio expressed grave concern over reports from el-Fasher, saying women, children, and other civilians had been targeted in acts of “the most horrific kind.” He added that the US would intensify efforts to end the violence and was urging partner nations to join in cutting off external arms supplies to the RSF.
“The RSF is committing horrifying atrocities against innocent civilians. This must stop immediately,” Rubio said, emphasizing that the US believes thousands may have been killed or left too weak to flee the conflict zones.
The G7 ministers, in a joint statement, echoed Rubio’s concerns, condemning the escalating violence and warning that the ongoing conflict has triggered the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.
Rubio rejected RSF claims that the atrocities were carried out by rogue fighters, calling the acts “systematic and deliberate”, and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to holding those responsible accountable.
As the war deepens and famine spreads, the call for a united global front to halt the RSF’s external supply chains underscores growing fears that Sudan is sliding further into chaos reminiscent of its darkest chapters.
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