Khartoum: Darfur Region Governor Minni Arko Minnawi expressed appreciation for the visit of the French parliamentary delegation, headed by Mr. Christophe Macro, aimed at reviewing violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia in Darfur through testimonies from witnesses, including doctors, women, and civilians.
According to Sudan News Agency, this came during a solidarity meeting between the French parliamentarians and victims from Darfur, held Saturday at Al-Salam Rotana Hotel in Khartoum, where several witnesses from Darfur provided accounts of abuses committed by the rebel RSF militia.
The meeting witnessed wide official and popular participation, attended by Minister of Finance Dr. Gebreil Ibrahim, Minister of Minerals Nour Al-Daem Taha, Minister of Human Resources and Social Welfare Dr. Mu'tasim Ahmed Salih, as well as walis (governors) of the Darfur states and native administration leaders.
Minnawi referred to the genocide committed in Darfur, stressing the unity and cohesion of Sudan's social fabric in confronting the militia plots supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with weapons. He also referred to the ethnic cleansing and called for accountability for the genocide in El-Geneina and El-Fashir, as well as the return of all abductees and displaced families, and holding perpetrators accountable as a path toward justice and peace.
For his part, Finance Minister Dr. Gebreil Ibrahim praised Minnawi's efforts in engaging with the international community to explain the situation in Sudan and convey the facts, stating that the war will not end until the last inch of Sudanese territory is liberated.
He praised the resilience of the people of El-Fashir, describing their determination as ongoing until full liberation is achieved, noting that atrocities occurred before the eyes of the international community despite UN Security Council Resolution 2736, calling for lifting the siege on El-Fashir, which he said has not been implemented.
The minister added that it is necessary to mobilize humanitarian communities, public opinion, and civil society organizations to send truthful messages, thanking all those who have contributed humanitarian efforts. He stressed the importance of holding perpetrators of genocide accountable, noting that impunity leads to further loss of life and that sustainable peace is based on justice and accountability.
A Foreign Ministry representative, Ambassador Jamal Malik, described the visit as important at this time, considering it a positive step toward conveying facts to European institutions, praising the French Parliament's interest and affirming Sudan's openness to cooperation with international partners to amplify victims' voices and promote human rights principles.
Meanwhile, Mr. Christophe Macro, head of the visiting French parliamentary delegation, thanked the Sudanese people in general and the people of Darfur in particular for their sacrifices, noting the difficulty of the current phase, especially the violations suffered during displacement from El-Fashir, affirming his support for those affected.
He said he has been following developments since the outbreak of war and will convey what he witnessed to the international community, reaffirming support for Sudan's unity.
He also noted that the French government, along with several organizations and companies, has provided significant financial assistance to support the Sudanese people, but acknowledged that the aid remains insufficient compared to the scale of needs, calling for condemnation of the violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia.
During the meeting, several witnesses-including doctors and women-presented testimonies describing the violations, including shelling of hospitals that resulted in large numbers of civilian casualties daily, including women, children, and the elderly, as well as hospital raids, intimidation of patients, forced evacuations, theft of medicines and medical equipment, and destruction of health facilities.
The testimonies also highlighted serious abuses committed against women, including grave violations, arbitrary detention cases, and deaths of mothers and children inside medical facilities that were rendered out of service, calling for documentation of these violations and accountability for perpetrators as war crimes.