The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has carefully reviewed the press release issued by Matthew Miller, the official spokesperson for the U.S. Department of State, dated Feb. 23, 2024, regarding the obstruction of humanitarian aid and the restriction of civilian areas in Sudan. The RSF would like to address the following points as per the statement:

1. We deeply appreciate the expression of concern shown in the statement issued by the U.S. Department of State regarding the decision of the de facto authorities in Port Sudan, known as the “Port Sudan Group,” to prevent humanitarian aid from entering our country through the borders with Chad and obstructing its delivery to areas under the protection of the RSF. We share the concern of the U.S. Department of State regarding this decision, which clearly contradicts the principles of international humanitarian law and the international and national obligations of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Given the severity of the humanitarian situation in Sudan, we urge the U.S. Administration to take a firm stance on the statements made by SAF General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the terror-driven National Congress Party regime, in Al Dabbah, Northern State. In these statements, he announced that aid deliveries would be prevented from reaching areas under the protection of the RSF. We call on the U.S. Department of State to exert maximum pressure on the Port Sudan Group, forcing these terrorist elements to fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law and the Jeddah Declaration for the Protection of Civilians, signed on May 11, 2023, and the commitments made on Nov. 4, 2023, by providing all necessary facilitations, removing all bureaucratic obstacles, and ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid to those affected.

2. The RSF did not loot humanitarian aid warehouses in the areas under our protection, as relief aid did not reach these facilities in the first place. Additionally, our forces are committed to protecting and delivering humanitarian aid to civilians in all areas, as per the permanent orders issued to them by the RSF leadership in this regard. Furthermore, our forces have not harmed any humanitarian actors, as we have a genuine interest in their presence and in assisting civilians. In fact, earlier, RSF Commander, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo issued a call, urging the international community and humanitarian organizations to intensify efforts to provide humanitarian aid to civilians. He anticipated the current developments by establishing an agency to facilitate relief deliveries and humanitarian operations last August. We reject as unfair any attempts to equate the RSF with the SAF, as the Port Sudan Group commits serious human rights violations and pursues inhumane and nationalist behavior. The same applies to any implications that the RSF is involved in the same heinous activities that the SAF and its extremist patrons from the former regime commit systematically all throughout Sudan. The SAF and its terrorist allies continue to restrict civilian areas, limit access to the Internet and telecommunications networks, fuel ethnic conflicts, aid and abet criminal groups taking advantage of war-affected communities, incite hate speech, particularly by condemning those who call for an end to the war, and target resistance committees, peace activists, community leaders, humanitarian workers, medics, journalists, and members of political parties. The RSF is not involved in and condemns these actions and behaviors. The SAF Military Intelligence and the SAF General Intelligence Service, both fully controlled by elements of the terrorist National Congress Party regime, are the ones causing harm and fueling contempt, as witnessed by recent statements issued by the Sudanese Foreign Ministry. A significant number of resistance committees have fled to areas under the protection of the RSF, seeking protection and safety.

3. We decisively address individual violations committed by rogue elements in certain areas and by our own personnel. We never tolerate them. We control and hold accountable those responsible for such actions, whether they are from our forces or civilians in areas under our protection. The RSF condemns all human rights violations committed in this war, and all wars. We constantly work to address them and ensure that they are not repeated.

We commend once again the U.S. Administration for expressing concern regarding the Port Sudan Group’s decision and actions to obstruct relief aid from reaching areas under our protection. We urge the U.S. Department of State to apply maximum pressure on the Port Sudan Group, compelling these terrorist elements to fulfill their obligations under international humanitarian law. We also call on the United States to conduct further investigations into the situation pertaining to humanitarian aid and workers, civil society, and political forces in areas under the protection of the RSF. We are committed to facilitating and securing the delivery of aid and protecting humanitarian workers in the areas under our protection, as we respect international humanitarian law and desire to ensure a better life for civilians across Sudan.