The Sudan Peace Government has renewed its
call for the establishment of safe humanitarian corridors in El Obeid, urging
the international community to take urgent action to protect civilians and
facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance amid the ongoing conflict.
In a statement issued by the Council of
Ministers, the government said it was closely monitoring ongoing discussions
with international partners on civilian protection, humanitarian access and the
creation of safe routes for residents seeking to leave the city.
“The Council of Ministers of the Peace
Government is closely following the ongoing discussions with our partners in
the international community regarding the protection of civilians, the
facilitation of humanitarian assistance, and the establishment of safe
corridors for civilians in the city of El Obeid,” the statement by Khalid
Danaa, Sudan’s Minister of Information stated.
The government welcomed international
engagement on the issue and reaffirmed its readiness to work with regional and
global partners, including the United States, the United Kingdom and the
European Union, to implement measures aimed at protecting civilians and reducing
suffering.
It said the proposed humanitarian corridors
would allow civilians wishing to leave El Obeid to reach safer areas where they
could access protection and humanitarian support.
“The Peace Government reiterates its call
for the establishment of safe humanitarian corridors that would enable
civilians wishing to leave El Obeid to reach secure areas where they can enjoy
safety, legal protection, and humanitarian assistance,” the statement said.
The government further pledged to
facilitate the unhindered and non-discriminatory delivery of aid in
coordination with international partners, the United Nations and regional
humanitarian organisations.
At the same time, the Council of Ministers
called on the international community to increase pressure on what it described
as “army militia and its terrorist brigades” to allow civilians to leave the
city freely and to halt attacks on residential areas.
According to the statement, field reports
and ongoing monitoring indicate that civilians continue to face severe
restrictions on movement, with residents allegedly prevented from leaving El
Obeid and, in some cases, being compelled to participate in military
activities.
“The Council of Ministers further calls
upon the international community to exert maximum pressure on the army militia
and its terrorist brigades to allow civilians to leave the city freely, end the
forced recruitment of civilians, cease using them as human shields, and stop
the shelling of residential neighborhoods and civilians with bombs and drones,”
it said.
The government argued that such actions
constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law and warned that
continued restrictions were worsening the humanitarian situation.
It maintained that the most effective way
to protect civilians and alleviate their suffering would be the immediate
implementation of an unconditional humanitarian ceasefire.
“The most effective and fundamental means
of protecting civilians and ending their suffering is the immediate
implementation of an unconditional humanitarian ceasefire, which would
facilitate the protection of civilians, the delivery of humanitarian assistance,
and the evacuation of the wounded and the sick,” the statement said.
The government also urged the international community to adopt stronger measures to secure a ceasefire, claiming that previous international initiatives aimed at ending hostilities and protecting civilians had been repeatedly rejected.
