Qatar's emir condemns atrocities committed by paramilitary in Sudan

As fighting intensifies in Sudan, Qatar’s Emir has condemned the atrocities committed against civilians in al-Fashir by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani made the comments on Tuesday in Doha at the opening of the Second World Summit for Social Development.

“I cannot conclude this address without pointing to our collective shock from the horror of the atrocities that have been committed in the city of al-Fashir in Sudan, and our deep condemnation of it,” he said.

The RSF captured capital of North Darfur state from the army just over a week ago after an 18-month siege that cut off the delivery of food and other supplies.

There have been reports of summary executions, massacres, sexual violence, attacks on humanitarian workers, looting, abductions, and forced displacements carried out by its fighters.

The RSF has denied committing atrocities, but testimonies from those fleeing, online videos, and satellite images offer an apocalyptic vision of their attack.

On Tuesday, a UN-backed global hunger monitor for the first time confirmed famine conditions in al-Fashir and the southern city of Kadugli.

"Sudan has been living the horrors of this war for two-and-a-half years. And the time has come to stop it [the war] and to reach a political solution that guarantees the unity of Sudan, its sovereignty, and territorial integrity," the Emir said.

Residents of al-Fashir continue to flee the city, travelling to already overcrowded displacement camps in nearby towns where resources are limited.

Fighting between the RSF and the Sudanese army has also intensified in other parts of the country, notably in the central Kordofan region.

United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres warned that the war between the RSF and the Sudanese army was "spiralling out of control" and called for an immediate ceasefire.

Since April 2023, the two sides have been locked in a civil war that has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions of others, and led to one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.