Sudan Group: RSF Violence Carries Marks of Genocide

A statement from the foreign ministers of the core group on Sudan at the UN Human Rights Council said today, Thursday, that the acts of violence committed by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the city of El Fasher, Sudan, carry marks of genocide.

The group concluded, in a statement published by the German Foreign Ministry, that the violence led by the RSF constitutes war crimes and crimes against humanity, and carries the hallmarks of genocide.

New Coalition

The countries, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Britain—announced their intention to form a coalition to prevent further atrocities in Sudan.

A United Nations plane landed at Khartoum Airport today, Thursday, in the first flight of its kind since the outbreak of war in Sudan nearly three years ago, according to the UN humanitarian coordinator in the country.

Denise Brown said after disembarking from the plane, I would like to emphasize how pleased I am to be on board the first UN Humanitarian Air Service flight to Khartoum in three years; this is a very important event for the humanitarian community.

Dead and Missing

For his part, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, announced today, Thursday, that the number of civilian deaths in the Sudan war in 2025 reached more than double what it was previously, as 11,300 people died, in addition to the missing and unidentified bodies.

Türk said in Geneva that 2025 saw an increase of more than two and a half times in the number of civilians killed compared to the previous year, without counting the missing and unidentified bodies, holding the RSF, the army, and their foreign sponsors responsible for this.

For its part, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) said it is sheltering tens of thousands of displaced civilians in the town of Akobo as clashes continue.

Multiple Crises

Tom Fletcher, the UN humanitarian chief who visited Akobo on February 21, noted that Sudan is witnessing one of the most neglected crises in the world at the moment. He added, I want to get the public more involved in the crisis, and I want them to demand change, funding, and political engagement to end this war.

The international Quad, consisting of Saudi Arabia, the United States, Egypt, and the UAE, is sponsoring a ceasefire proposal as part of a humanitarian truce in Sudan. The proposal includes a humanitarian truce and a cessation of hostilities in the country, which has been witnessing war for nearly three years.

The plan sponsored by the Quad includes four main axes: emphasizing the sovereignty and unity of Sudan and the keenness to end the crisis, the commitment of both parties to good faith, determining the timing and duration of the truce and the separation of forces, and establishing a coordination committee to monitor the situation and report on violations.

Efforts to Solve the Crisis

The plan provides for a three-month humanitarian truce to allow aid to enter, followed by the launch of a political process within nine months aimed at reaching a comprehensive settlement between the Sudanese parties and establishing a negotiation track that ensures a permanent ceasefire.

The international Quad has been engaged for months in intensive diplomatic efforts to reach a truce in the ongoing war in Sudan, which has lasted for more than 30 months.