HAMILTON, Canada

Canada on Wednesday strongly condemned reports of atrocities by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan's western city of El-Fasher.

"Canada is deeply concerned for civilians in El Fasher, Sudan, and condemns in the strongest terms the reported mass killing of over 2,000 civilians by the Rapid Support Forces," the Foreign Ministry wrote on US social media company X.

Urging all sides to "uphold international humanitarian law and human rights law," Canada stated that "Civilians must be protected and the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian assistance must be facilitated immediately."

Sudanese authorities and international organizations have accused the RSF of committing "massacres and humanitarian violations" in El-Fasher, including "summary executions," arbitrary arrests and displacement of civilians during its assault on the city, which it had besieged for more than a year.

Earlier Tuesday, the UN called on the RSF to allow a "safe corridor" for civilians to leave El-Fasher. At the same time, a joint force of armed movements supporting the Sudanese army accused the RSF of killing 2,000 civilians in the city on Oct. 26-27.

The RSF has denied the accusations, saying it is "cleansing El-Fasher of the last army and allied forces attempting to flee the city."

Since April 15, 2023, the army and the RSF have been locked in a war that regional and international mediations have failed to end. The conflict has killed thousands of people and displaced over 15 million.