PRESS RELEASE : UK statement on fighting in Sudan [December 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 19 December 2023.

The FCDO has issued a statement on the escalation of violence in Sudan.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development spokesperson said:

The past week has seen an escalation of violence in Gezira State, Sudan, as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have advanced towards Wad Medani. The town had been a safe haven for displaced people and an important hub for the delivery of essential humanitarian aid. We urge the RSF to cease their attacks and we condemn reports of the arbitrary arrests of civilians in Wad Medani carried out by the Sudanese Armed Forces.

We are very concerned by the situation in El Fasher, following reports of renewed fighting on December 16. We call on both sides to comply with their obligations under international law, notably with regard to the protection of civilians, and urge them to refrain from actions that will exacerbate the conflict and further divide Sudan along ethnic lines. The only way to sustainable peace is through a civilian-led and inclusive peace process and we commend the recent efforts by regional partners, led by The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), to bring the parties together.