The UN Human Rights Commissioner, Volker Turk, confirmed today, Thursday, that "both parties have violated international humanitarian law in Sudan," referring to the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces, strongly condemning "this reckless violence, in which both sides have trampled on international humanitarian law." Turk called on all influential countries in the region to "work towards resolving the crisis in Sudan," noting that "years of development efforts will be linked to the extent of damage inflicted on the infrastructure."
The UN Human Rights Council also acknowledged today, by a narrow margin, a proposal to intensify monitoring of human rights violations in Sudan.
Britain urged the UN Human Rights Council to "push for accountability regarding the violence in Sudan" during an emergency meeting in Geneva today. British Minister of State for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, also urged the 47-member council to "send a unified message expressing concern and dismay" ahead of an expected vote. The UN Human Rights Council's envoy for Sudan stated, "What is happening in Sudan is an internal matter."
Witnesses reported that "the fighting escalated in the Sudanese capital yesterday, Wednesday, where heavy clashes and airstrikes occurred." Residents spoke of ground confrontations in several neighborhoods in Khartoum between the conflicting parties and of intense gunfire exchanges.
