Rhino: Follow-up – The Government of Peace accused the army’s drones of targeting a civilian commercial convoy loaded with food supplies coming from Libya. In a statement issued Saturday night, it expressed its deep “condemnation and denunciation of the targeting by drones of a civilian commercial convoy coming from Libya via the desert route, which was transporting food and basic goods owned by Sudanese citizens,” accusing the Sudanese army—which it described as “militias of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood”—of being behind the attack.
The statement added that “the incident resulted in significant human and material losses and raised serious concerns regarding the safety of civilians and the freedom of movement of trade and essential supplies”.
The government noted that “the targeting of this commercial convoy, coinciding with the assassination of seven Sudanese high school students in the Um Qarfa area, not only constitutes a systematic violation of international humanitarian law but also represents a clear disregard for international institutions, for while the Human Rights Council is meeting to discuss the humanitarian situation in Sudan, the Port Sudan terrorist group is committing these grave humanitarian violations”.
The statement emphasized that “targeting civilians, civilian objects, or means of transporting essential goods constitutes unacceptable criminal behavior that exacerbates human suffering, threatens food security, increases the suffering of civilians already burdened by the war, and undermines efforts to alleviate the impact of the conflict on citizens, and is inconsistent with the obligations imposed by international humanitarian law on all parties to the conflict.”
The government reaffirmed “its commitment to taking all possible measures to facilitate access to basic goods, ensure the movement of civilians and trade, and work with national, regional, and international partners to mitigate risks that threaten the lives and livelihoods of the population”.
The Government of Peace called on the international community, the United Nations, the African Union, and relevant regional and international bodies to “condemn these crimes, hold the perpetrators accountable in accordance with international law, and ensure that such incidents, which affect the lives and security of civilians, do not recur.” It appealed to “the United Nations, the African Union, and relevant regional and international organizations to intensify their efforts to protect civilians, support mechanisms aimed at ensuring safe access for humanitarian and commercial supplies, and promote respect for the rules of international humanitarian law.
