US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has called for coordinated international action to halt the flow of weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accusing the paramilitary group of committing “horrifying atrocities” in the besieged city of el-Fasher.
Speaking at the close of a G7 foreign ministers meeting in Canada, Rubio condemned the RSF for what he described as systematic attacks on civilians, including murder, mass rape and targeted violence against women and children. His remarks mark one of the strongest rebukes yet by the Trump administration over the Sudan conflict.
The RSF has been battling Sudan’s army since April 2023, when a bitter power struggle between the generals escalated into a devastating civil war. Last month, the RSF seized el-Fasher after an 18-month siege, giving the group control of every major city in Darfur. Satellite images show bodies scattered across streets and blood-soaked ground, supporting widespread reports of massacres.
Humanitarian organisations and US officials say non-Arab communities across Darfur are being systematically targeted in what amounts to genocide.
Rubio urged partner nations to join Washington in efforts to choke off the RSF’s supply routes.
“Rubio told reporters: “They’re committing acts of sexual violence and atrocities, just horrifying atrocities, against women, children, innocent civilians of the most horrific kind. And it needs to end immediately. And we’re going to do everything we can to bring it to an end, and we’ve encouraged partner nations to join us in this fight.”
Sudan’s army alleges that the United Arab Emirates has been supplying the RSF with arms and mercenaries routed through African countries—claims both the UAE and the RSF deny. Rubio, however, declined to directly criticise Abu Dhabi, noting that the US is working with the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia under the “Quad” group to end the war.
“I don’t want to call anybody out today,” he said. “We know who the parties are that are involved [in weapons supply]… That’s why they’re part of the Quad along with other countries involved.”
Earlier US-backed ceasefire proposals have repeatedly collapsed, with the RSF violating a humanitarian truce it agreed to only last week. Despite the Quad’s new plan for a transition to civilian rule, fighting across Sudan continues with no sign of easing.
As the conflict deepens, only a small portion of el-Fasher’s residents have managed to flee, leaving hundreds of thousands trapped amid escalating violence and a rapidly worsening humanitarian disaster.
Melissa Enoch
About the Author
