The Sudanese Alliance for Rights strongly condemns the repeated, deliberate, and unjustified airstrikes on civilians and civilian infrastructure, the latest of which occurred in the Saraf Omra locality of North Darfur State on November 10, 2024. These attacks represent a grave and blatant violation of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions and their protocols, which explicitly prohibit the targeting of civilians and civilian objects.
The airstrikes, carried out by Sudanese Armed Forces warplanes, marked the second such assault on this locality, resulting in significant civilian casualties, including women, children, and the elderly. These actions amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, warranting an immediate international investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable and prevent further violations.
The aerial bombardment of civilian areas, alongside the deliberate destruction of essential infrastructure such as schools, hospitals, water sources, and agricultural resources, cannot be justified under any circumstances. These acts constitute a flagrant breach of international law, including the Rome Statute of 2002, and represent serious violations of both international human rights law and international humanitarian law.
The continuation of these attacks on civilians in Darfur and across Sudan—along with the destruction of vital infrastructure and livelihoods—marks a profound failure of the international, regional, and national institutions tasked with the protection and promotion of human rights. This failure is a stain on the global conscience and demands urgent action.
The Sudanese Alliance for Rights calls on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and engage in peaceful negotiations to end the suffering of the Sudanese people. We urge all parties to refrain from targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to adhere to the principles of international law and humanitarian law. Targeting civilian objects protected under these laws constitutes a serious violation and must be condemned by the international community.
We further urge the international community to take decisive action, including pressure on both warring parties to end the conflict through peaceful means and negotiation. The international community must also strongly condemn the continued airstrikes on civilians, civilian objects, and infrastructure, and work toward the establishment of no-fly zones to protect innocent lives.
We call on both national and international organizations to speak out against these attacks and the destruction of farms, livestock, and livelihoods. International judicial bodies should open immediate investigations into these violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, and ensure accountability for the Sudanese Armed Forces’ airstrikes in Darfur and across Sudan.
The Sudanese Alliance for Rights reaffirms its commitment to supporting affected civilians and advancing efforts for peace, justice, and reconciliation. We urge all parties to engage in inclusive dialogue to end the violence and ensure a safer, more stable future for all Sudanese citizens.
Sudanese Alliance for Rights
November 19, 2024