ICRC Urges World Leaders To Stop Massacre In Sudan

JAKARTA - The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) urged world leaders to take important steps to end the massacre of civilians in Sudan. The situation in El-Fasher and other regions is described as a "humanitarian catastrophe".

"The horrific violation of war rules that we witnessed in Sudan cannot be justified," said Mirjana Spoljaric in a statement quoted by ANTARA from Anadolu, Saturday, November 1.

"No patient should be killed in hospital, and no civilians should be shot while trying to escape from their homes," continued Spoljaric.

"This horrific attack must be stopped and international humanitarian law must be respected," he urged.

He said civilians were facing blind attacks, rampant sexual violence and intentional destruction of essential services.

Meanwhile hospitals and health centers "which used to be dedicated to saving lives have become places of death and destruction."

Spoljaric said the ICRC had repeatedly warned warfare to respect international humanitarian law, but violations continued without punishment.

The ICRC president also condemned the recent attack on humanitarian workers, stating "only this week in North Kordofan, five of our colleagues from Sudan's Red Crescent were killed."

"Leaders must now show political courage to stop murder," he said.

He stressed that all countries have an obligation to enforce international humanitarian law and ensure other countries do the same.

"The life in Sudan now relies on strong and firm action to stop this atrocities. The world cannot remain silent while civilians are stripped of their sense of security and dignity," he concluded.

Separately, World Food Program (WFP) Executive Director Cindy McCain also voiced concern over the "destroying violence" at El-Fasher.

"Many families run around saving themselves, hunger and fatigue. This brutal attack must end. Right now," McCain said on US social media platform X.

He underlined that UN organizations should be allowed to "operation with complete independence and neutrality" and stand with the Sudanese people at a time when they are in dire need."

Sudan has been hit by civil war between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) since April 2023, which has left thousands of deaths and millions of people displaced.

El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state, fell under the control of the RSF on Sunday after months of siege. Human rights groups accuse RSF of mass killings, detaining people and attacking hospitals