The US demands that nations take measures to stop providing weapons to paramilitaries in Sudan.
Meanwhile, Sudan's army has accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of backing the RSF with arms and mercenaries funneled through various African nations. Both the UAE and the RSF have consistently denied these serious allegations. The conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese army erupted into an all-out civil war in April 2023, stemming from a power struggle between their leaders.
Rubio's recent statements are some of the strongest criticisms yet from the Trump administration regarding the war in Sudan and the RSF's brutal actions, though their ultimate impact remains uncertain. In a concerning development, a previous US-backed proposal for a humanitarian ceasefire in Sudan was violated by the RSF, despite their agreement to it just last week.
El-Fasher, a key city, fell to the RSF last month after an 18-month siege, giving them control over all cities in the vast western Darfur region. Reports from the city paint a grim picture, with massacres allegedly occurring and satellite imagery reportedly showing piles of bodies and blood-stained earth. The United States and humanitarian organizations both contend that the RSF is systematically targeting non-Arab groups across Darfur, actions they describe as amounting to genocide.
During talks near Niagara Falls on Wednesday, America's top diplomat reiterated that women and children in el-Fasher have been subjected to the "most horrific kind" of violence by the RSF. "They're committing acts of sexual violence and atrocities, just horrifying atrocities, against women, children, innocent civilians of the most horrific kind. And it needs to end immediately," Rubio told reporters. He added, "And we're going to do everything we can to bring it to an end, and we've encouraged partner nations to join us in this fight."
Despite credible international media investigations, which the UN has found reliable, pointing to Abu Dhabi (the UAE) as the RSF's primary arms supplier, Rubio notably refrained from publicly criticizing the Gulf state. The Trump administration is working with the UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia – all allies of Sudan's military-led government and collectively known as the "Quad" – to help bring an end to the war.
"I don't want to get into calling anybody out at a press conference today, because what we want is a good outcome here," Rubio explained on Wednesday. However, he pointedly added, "We know who the parties are that are involved [in weapons supply]... That's why they're part of the Quad along with other countries involved."
In September, the Quad jointly proposed a three-month humanitarian truce, intended to pave the way for a permanent ceasefire and a nine-month transition to civilian rule. Interestingly, the RSF only announced its agreement to this truce after successfully capturing el-Fasher. While Sudan's army has voiced objections to the UAE's presence within the Quad, it has indicated it will still consider the proposal. Meanwhile, the intense fighting in Sudan shows no signs of letting up.
