This statement was delivered by the Alliance Internationale pour la Défense des Droits et des Libertés (AIDL) on behalf of the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect and AIDL at the UN Human Rights Council’s 38th special session on the human rights situation in and around El Fasher, in the context of the ongoing conflict in the Sudan.

More than twenty years ago, the world witnessed the horrors of the Darfur genocide. Today, the fall of El Fasher has sparked another wave of devastation and atrocity crimes. The city’s capture has unleashed attacks against civilians, with credible reports that the RSF has killed, raped, abducted and tortured civilians, frequently targeting them based on ethnic identity. Satellite imagery and survivor testimonies indicate door-to-door executions and the deliberate destruction of civilian infrastructure. These crimes may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and/or acts of genocide.

Today’s reality underscores the urgent need for decisive international action to protect vulnerable populations. We commend the Human Rights Council for convening today’s Special Session at such a critical moment, and thank DefendDefenders for their vital role in mobilizing civil society. We call on the HRC to support the resolution before you and request the Fact-Finding Mission to investigate violations in and around El Fasher, including the role of external actors, and provide actionable recommendations.

Every government and institution has the Responsibility to Protect. We call upon member states to urgently increase support for grassroots organizations engaged in monitoring and documenting violations or providing life-saving aid, and to press all parties to respect international law, ensure safe passage for civilians, and hold external actors, including the UAE, accountable.

Failure to act now risks condemning millions to violence, starvation and displacement. The people of Sudan deserve the full weight of the international community’s attention, resolve and action.