LONDON

France has condemned the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for escalating attacks in El-Fasher, warning of a worsening humanitarian disaster in the Sudanese city that has been under siege for more than a year.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the French government said it “strongly condemns the extension and intensification since Oct. 26 of the offensive by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in El-Fasher, whose siege has caused a dramatic humanitarian crisis for almost a year and a half.”

Paris expressed “deep concern over reports of atrocities, including summary executions, perpetrated by the RSF in El-Fasher, but also in Bara.”

The French government urged the RSF to guarantee “without discrimination the protection of civilian populations and the delivery of humanitarian aid, in accordance with their commitments and obligations under international humanitarian law.”

It also called on the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and allied groups “to show discernment and restraint in their response in order to spare the civilian populations still trapped in El-Fasher.”

France appealed to both sides “to engage urgently and in good faith in direct negotiations to achieve a ceasefire.”

The statement said Paris “remains committed to supporting the efforts of the Quad, the African Union, and the EU to contribute to resolving the conflict and preserving Sudan's sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Sudanese authorities and international organizations have accused the RSF of committing “massacres and humanitarian violations” in El-Fasher, including “summary executions,” arbitrary arrests, and the displacement of civilians during its latest assault.

On Tuesday, the UN urged the RSF to allow a “safe corridor” for civilians to flee the city. A joint force of armed movements supporting the Sudanese army accused the RSF of killing 2,000 civilians on Oct. 26–27 during its offensive.

The RSF denied the allegations, saying it is “cleansing El-Fasher of the last army and allied forces attempting to flee the city.”

Since April 15, 2023, the Sudanese army and RSF have been fighting a war that has killed thousands and displaced more than 15 million people, despite numerous regional and international mediation efforts.