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State Department condemns RSF attacks in Sudan, urges humanitarian access; declines to affirm genocide designation
Summary
In a press briefing the department strongly condemned Rapid Support Forces attacks on civilians and displaced persons in Darfur and urged humanitarian corridors, but did not affirm a legal genocide designation at the briefing.
Tammy, State Department spokesperson, said the United States “condemns in the strongest possible terms the RSF's continued escalation of attacks on El Fashir, North Darfur,” and urged immediate protection for civilians and humanitarian workers.
The spokesperson noted reports that the RSF had “deliberately targeted civilians and humanitarian actors in Zamzam and Abu Shook,” and said the department was alarmed by reports that at least 10 U.S.-funded relief workers had been killed while providing assistance. She called for the opening of humanitarian corridors and said belligerents must uphold obligations under international humanitarian law.
When pressed whether the Trump administration would adopt the previous administration's formal designation of the RSF's actions as genocide, Tammy did not explicitly confirm that designation. Instead she called for an end to the fighting, described the scale of the displacement crisis, and urged the parties to pursue broad-based negotiations that allow the Sudanese people to decide their future.
Why it matters: The legal designation of atrocities can trigger international consequences and influence U.S. diplomatic and humanitarian responses. Aid organizations and regional governments are watching how the U.S. characterizes the violence.
Ending: The spokesperson reiterated that the conflict has caused death, destruction and displacement with potential to destabilize the region and repeated the U.S. call for protection of civilians and unfettered humanitarian access.
