IGAD condemns RSF abuses in Sudan

On 19 April 2023, children and families flee their neighborhoods amid fighting in Khartoum, Sudan. [AFP]

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has condemned violations by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan amid an ongoing war.

In a statement following a meeting between the IGAD Secretariat and Sudan’s prime minister, the regional bloc urged Sudan to embrace peace, unity and respect for sovereignty as critical to the country’s recovery and development.

IGAD also called on Sudan to return to the bloc, vowing continued support for initiatives aimed at ending the conflict.

“IGAD reiterates its readiness to welcome the Republic of the Sudan back into its institutional framework,’’ said Executive Secretary, Workneh Gebeyehu.

Fighting between the Sudanese army and the RSF, which erupted in April 2023, has killed thousands and displaced millions of Sudanese.

Local media reported fresh attacks this week, including drone strikes in areas around Dilling, located between Kadugli and the town’s central market.

The war has left millions facing severe hardship amid widespread insecurity and the collapse of basic services.

In January 2024, Sudan suspended its membership in IGAD after accusing the bloc of bias while attempting to mediate peace talks. The foreign ministry said army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan had written to Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh, the current IGAD chair, to formally communicate the decision.

In December last year, Eritrea also withdrew from IGAD, barely two years after rejoining the eight-member regional bloc. Eritrea, in a statement to IGAD, accused the organisation of failing to meet its statutory obligations and contributing little to regional stability.