Khartoum: Sudan’s Representative to the African Union (AU), Ambassador Al-Zain Ibrahim Hussein, has affirmed that the Sudanese government possesses strong evidence of the continued presence of significant external support for the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia from external parties, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These support is transported by air via airports in the region, such as Chad’s Om Jaras Airport and Bosaso Air Base in Somalia, and then by land from Chad and other points in the vicinity to Sudanese territory.
According to Sudan News Agency, the ambassador added, during his address to the 38th session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, held in the Gambian capital, Banjul, that Sudan will continue to pursue international justice and implement the principles of national justice at home, through law enforcement institutions, and by submitting reports to the United Nations, via the Security Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Amba
ssador Al-Zein pointed out that the National Committee to Investigate Crimes and Violations of National and International Humanitarian Law, as well as numerous independent international bodies, have concluded that the Rapid Support Forces militia has committed war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, and genocide. He highlighted incidents in El-Geneina and among the Masalit people in West Darfur, as well as repeated occurrences around El-Fashir and in displacement camps such as Zamzam, Abu Shouk, Al-Gezira, and other areas of Sudan.
He also cited a civilian massacre committed by the militia in West Omdurman last week, along with numerous crimes such as the treatment of prisoners in violation of international humanitarian law, including torture, killing, and filming.
Ambassador Al-Zein explained that the rebel Rapid Support Forces militia has committed the crime of mercenary activity by recruiting foreign mercenaries of various nationalities, amounting to more than 13 countries. Available stati
stics indicate that some mercenaries are from neighboring countries in the region, while others are from distant regions and countries outside the continent.
Ambassador Al-Zein presented to the session the widespread violations committed by the Rapid Support Forces militia against children and women, their practices of extrajudicial killing, forced displacement, enforced disappearances, denial of freedom of movement to civilians, attacks on civil objects and homes, and looting of banks. He also highlighted the militia’s targeting of civilian infrastructure, airports, communications, and electricity converters with drones and artillery shelling, as well as attacks on foreign diplomatic missions and international organizations, blocking and confiscating humanitarian aid.
He added that the rebel militia’s attacks included the headquarters of the National Commission for Human Rights in Sudan, destroying places of worship, tangible cultural heritage sites, museums, the national archives, and libraries, and looti
ng rare historical artifacts.
The Ambassador continued to say that the militia also attacked oil production facilities, disrupted the oil pipeline linking Sudan to South Sudan, and destroyed production and export centers.