The UN Human Rights Council has condemned indiscriminate drone strikes and attacks on civilians in Sudan, and criticized outside forces for fueling the conflict with weapons and mercenaries. The condemnation comes amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in the country. The council's independent international fact-finding mission for Sudan concluded in February that the siege and capture of El-Fasher bore "the hallmarks of genocide".
The UN rights council's resolution was adopted by 28 votes to 10, with nine abstentions in the 47-country council. Sudan had expressed reservations about the resolution, stating that they had not been taken into account, and had called on all states to vote against it. Despite this, a majority of council members voted in favor of the resolution.
The ongoing conflict in Sudan has resulted in a massive humanitarian crisis, with estimates suggesting that over 200,000 people have been killed and more than 13 million displaced. The crisis has also led to the world's largest hunger and displacement crises. The UN rights council resolution emphasized that there is "no military solution to the crisis" in Sudan.
The resolution called for an immediate and complete ceasefire by all parties, without preconditions, as well as the establishment of an independent monitoring mechanism for the ceasefire. It also emphasized the need for the rehabilitation of critical basic infrastructure and a negotiated, peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The UN rights council condemned violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights by all sides, including indiscriminate attacks against civilians, aerial bombardments, and drone strikes. These actions have resulted in civilian deaths and the destruction of critical infrastructure, including schools and hospitals.
In recent months, both the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces have increasingly deployed drones, resulting in significant civilian casualties. According to UN figures, over 1,100 people were killed in drone strikes during the first five months of this year alone. The council's resolution aims to address these issues and promote a peaceful resolution to the conflict.
The resolution was supported by several countries, including Brazil, Britain, France, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa. In contrast, countries such as China, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Pakistan, and Qatar voted against the resolution. Ethiopia, India, and Thailand abstained from the vote.
Key points
- The UN Human Rights Council condemns indiscriminate drone strikes and attacks on civilians in Sudan.
- The conflict in Sudan has resulted in over 200,000 deaths and 13 million displaced people.
- The UN rights council resolution calls for an immediate and complete ceasefire and a negotiated, peaceful resolution to the conflict.
