The UK is considering implementing sanctions against individuals involved in the violent civil war in Sudan, with reports indicating that the aftermath of the massacres is visible from satellite images.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper revealed that satellite imagery captured scenes of mass atrocities in el-Fasher, Sudan, where bodies were stacked and bloodstains marred the sand following the city’s capture by armed paramilitary groups.
The conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has led to over 30 million people requiring urgent humanitarian assistance, with 12 million individuals forcibly displaced.
Describing the situation as the most severe humanitarian crisis of the 21st Century, Cooper highlighted the spread of famine, rampant diseases like cholera, and alarming reports of mass executions, starvation, and the systematic use of rape as a weapon of war in el-Fasher.
The Foreign Secretary emphasized the urgent need for action to prevent further atrocities, detailing plans to propose sanctions related to human rights abuses in Sudan.
In a move taken in April 2024, the Tory Government sanctioned businesses supporting either the SAF or RSF, freezing assets of companies affiliated with the conflict. Efforts are underway to negotiate a three-month ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of crucial aid to the conflict-affected region.
Additionally, Cooper criticized Israeli efforts to address settler violence in the West Bank, deeming them inadequate. She stressed the importance of stability in the West Bank for achieving sustainable peace, especially following the UN Security Council’s approval of an international stabilisation force for Gaza.
Cooper urged for continued momentum in deploying international and Palestinian security forces to support the ceasefire, preventing potential exploitation by Hamas and reinforcing peace efforts in the region.