The United Kingdom has announced £5 million ($6.57 million) in new emergency aid for Sudan following reports of atrocities committed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) during their capture of El-Fasher.
UK Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper described the recent events in Darfur as “truly horrifying,” citing mass executions, starvation, and the use of rape as a weapon of war.
She made the statement during a conference in Bahrain on Saturday, stressing that “for too long, this terrible conflict has been neglected while the suffering has continued to grow.”
The RSF, which has been at war with Sudan’s army since April 2023, seized control of El-Fasher last Sunday. The city, the army’s last major stronghold in western Darfur, fell after an 18-month siege marked by relentless bombardment, famine, and widespread displacement.
According to the UK Foreign Office, the newly announced £5 million funding adds to the £120 million already pledged by the United Kingdom to Sudan over the past year. Out of the new fund, £2 million will specifically support survivors of sexual violence in El-Fasher, where humanitarian groups have documented shocking abuses.
“The reports from Darfur in recent days are truly horrifying,” Cooper said, calling on all warring factions to halt hostilities and allow unrestricted humanitarian access to affected regions.
The Foreign Office reiterated that British diplomats are working closely with international partners to push for a ceasefire and ensure protection for civilians trapped in conflict zones.
Sudan has been plunged into chaos since the deadly power struggle between the army and the RSF began in 2023. The war has displaced millions, crippled food supplies, and triggered one of the largest humanitarian crises of the 21st century.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly warned that civilians in El-Fasher face grave danger, with thousands trapped without aid, shelter, or medical support as the RSF tightens its control over the region.
The UK’s latest intervention is seen as a step toward international re-engagement in a conflict that many global powers have been slow to address.