Sudan Embassy in London Holds Press Conference to Inform British Media About the Situation in Sudan

The Sudanese Embassy in London held a press conference today, led by Chargé d'Affaires Ambassador Babakir Al-Siddiq Mohamed Al-Amin. The ambassador provided an overview of the current situation in Sudan, emphasizing the recent victories of the armed forces and condemning the atrocities committed by the Janjaweed militia against Sudanese civilians, which include crimes against humanity, killings, ethnic massacres, forced displacement, and other severe offenses.

He highlighted the Sudanese armed forces' dedication to civilian protection, describing it as a longstanding national institution opposing the terrorist militia, which has reportedly brought in over 200,000 foreign mercenaries. The ambassador refuted claims by certain Western media that equate the armed forces with the militia, stating that such comparisons lack justification.

In this context, the ambassador clarified that the Sudanese government has responded to peace efforts since the early weeks of the war and reached the Jeddah Declaration, which led to several humanitarian ceasefires. However, the militia exploited these ceasefires to occupy more homes and civilian properties, and committed the Genina massacre in June 2023, contrary to what the Jeddah Declaration called for.

He pointed out that the militia signed a joint declaration with its political allies in Addis Ababa in early January 2024, promising to protect civilians, only to follow this with a series of massacres in the Al-Jazirah and Sennar states.

Sudan Embassy in London Holds Press Conference to Inform British Media About the Situation in Sudan

The ambassador added that the militia's participation in the so-called Geneva meetings last August, and the final statement praising the militia for allegedly adhering to new directives for civilian protection, was a prelude to a new series of massacres, the worst of which occurred in Al-Jazirah last week. All of this indicates that the militia participates in such meetings to gain some form of international recognition to continue committing its crimes, highlighting that the continuation of this approach will yield no results.

He noted the similarity between the militia's practices and those of known terrorist groups, emphasizing the necessity of classifying it as a terrorist organization and treating it similarly to ISIS, Boko Haram, and others, criminalizing any cooperation with it, and stopping the flow of weapons and mercenaries to it. He stated that without these measures, achieving peace would be challenging.

Regarding the humanitarian situation in Sudan, the ambassador spoke about the government's efforts to open several air and land crossings and the grassroots initiatives to host internally displaced Sudanese, along with assistance from friendly nations, while steering clear of politicizing humanitarian work.

He affirmed that, despite the militia's attempts to starve local populations by targeting food production areas and looting supplies, Sudan is not facing famine. The country produces enough grains; the priority is to empower citizens financially to meet their needs and to push the militia to end blockades in areas like El Fasher and residential zones in the capital, ensuring unimpeded aid delivery.

The ambassador added that focusing solely on the Adre crossing is problematic, given reports that the militia uses it to smuggle in weapons.

During the conference, documents were distributed regarding the UAE's involvement in providing weapons and supplies to the militia, a chart detailing the available crossings and airports for receiving aid, and a list of churches and places of worship targeted by the militia. The ambassador also addressed questions from journalists.

The conference was attended by several British media outlets, including the BBC, The Guardian, iNews, and Middle East News, as well as independent journalists and representatives from Sudanese television and various Sudanese channels.