The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected what was included in the recent statement by the European Union regarding the situation in the city of El Fasher, accusing the Sudanese Armed Forces of indiscriminate shelling and equating them with rebel forces, according to the Sudanese News Agency, SUNA.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release on Thursday that the European Union failed to identify the perpetrators attacking El Fasher, targeting civilians and internally displaced persons camps, and obstructing relief access; these are the rebel Rapid Support Forces, even though these same rebel forces have repeatedly announced their plans to attack the city and block humanitarian aid access, which they have indeed carried out, without receiving the condemnation they deserve from the European Union.
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry added that instead of demanding the aggressor to cease their aggression, the European Union implicated the armed forces defending the city and its residents in condemnation. The European Union overlooks the fact that areas and cities untouched by rebel attacks enjoy peace and humanitarian assistance, while the rebel forces bring killing, destruction, and humanitarian crises. Additionally, it ignores the unanimous support of all segments of the Sudanese people for the armed forces as their protector, symbol of sovereignty, and the foremost national institution in the country. Furthermore, the European Union disregards the regional sponsors of the rebellion who continue to supply it with weapons and mercenaries, enabling it to persist in its attacks on safe areas.
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry emphasized that it is clear that the commercial interests of some EU member states with the sponsors of the rebel forces prevent them from condemning or pressuring them to cease igniting the flames of war in Sudan. As for the statement’s mention of opening all crossings for humanitarian aid, it is a mere lip service, as all crossings agreed upon with the United Nations are open and accessible. However, the statement refers to one crossing used by the rebel forces to obtain weapons, equipment, and supplies for their elements, after the area was emptied of its inhabitants in a heinous ethnic cleansing operation known to the region. In light of this, the European Union’s insistence on this specific crossing raises doubts.
The Sudanese Foreign Ministry affirmed that, based on the above, the European Union fails to take the correct moral stance that could contribute to stopping the war and offering admonitions to others about humanitarian values and international humanitarian law.
