US President Biden urges end to Sudan conflict 

US President Joe Biden has condemned the ongoing conflict in Sudan, urging both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to halt their actions and allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians.

In a statement released by the White House yesterday, Biden highlighted the dire consequences of the 17-month war, which has displaced nearly 10 million people and seen widespread human rights abuses. “Women and girls have been kidnapped and sexually assaulted. Famine has taken hold in Darfur and is threatening millions more elsewhere,” he said, emphasising that the violence is worsening.

The city of El Fasher in North Darfur, home to nearly two million people, has been under siege by RSF forces for months. Recent days have seen this siege escalate into a full-scale assault, according to the president.

Biden called on both sides to cease their military actions, with particular focus on the RSF’s disproportionate harm to civilians and the SAF’s indiscriminate bombings. He demanded “unhindered humanitarian access” across Sudan, citing ongoing disruptions to vital aid operations.

The US has provided over $1.6 billion in emergency aid to Sudan over the past two years and continues to work with international partners, including the African Union and the United Nations, to secure more humanitarian routes. Biden also confirmed sanctions on 16 entities and individuals responsible for exacerbating the conflict.

“We will not abandon our commitment to the people of Sudan who deserve freedom, peace, and justice,” Biden affirmed, pledging continued support to hold perpetrators accountable.