As Sudan enters its fourth year of devastating conflict, civil society organisations and activists express grave concern at the continued suffering of millions of civilians. The war has destroyed lives, livelihoods, and communities, while mass human rights violations are committed daily by the warring factions with complete impunity.
Despite repeated appeals, regional and international bodies have failed to exert the necessary pressure to compel the parties to cease hostilities, allow humanitarian assistance, and halt the flow of arms that sustains the conflict. Sudan risks becoming a forgotten war, with its people abandoned to endless violence.

We note with deep disappointment the failure of the United Nations Security Council on Monday, 25 August 2026, to adopt a resolution banning the use of weaponized drones. These drones have inflicted catastrophic harm on civilians, striking homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship.

The absence of decisive international action emboldens perpetrators and prolongs civilian suffering.

Its on that very background that Civil society organisations and activists t call upon the international community to,

1).Impose stronger, coordinated measures to compel the warring parties to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities.

2) Ensure the protection of civilians and guarantee unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance.

3). Stop the flow of arms to belligerents, including drones and other weapons used against civilians.

4). Hold perpetrators accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and grave violations of human rights, and bring them to justice.

5).Take decisive action against external actors who interfere in the conflict by supplying arms to the warring parties and adopt strong measures to deter such complicity.

Sudanese civil society remains steadfast in its demand for peace, justice, and dignity. The international community must act urgently and decisively to end impunity, protect civilians, and support a path toward sustainable peace in Sudan.

1/Darfur Victims Support Organization.

2/Voices of Victim News papers. 3/Nabaq organization for rights and development-NORD

4/canabi Congress

5/kawalisMedia

6/African Organization for Rights and Development (AFORD)

7/NADO Media ,Development and peace organization.

8/Sudanease journalist initiative for please and democracy

9/aljasser-news

10/Al Jasser Center for Development and Peace.

11/ Raboa Sudan Organization for Development and Peace.

12/Enlightenment Center for Culture and Dialogue.

13/ woman of change organization .

14/Alberdi for peace &development .

15/the African Lens .

16/Sudan human rights association .

17/ Ajras al-Hamish online Newspaper.

18/Sudanese Organization for Human Rights.

19/Sudanese Center for Democratic Media.

20/Earth Sustainable Development Organization .

21/ Elaf Organization for Peace & Community Development.

22/ justice africa Sudan .

23/ Africa Unity &Peace organisation.

24/Al- Dar Organization
(ALDAR).

25// SA SA Company for Dialogue and Peacebuilding

The post JOINT STATEMENT BY SUDANESE CSOS AND OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ON THE ONGOING WAR IN SUDAN. appeared first on AFORD.

As Sudan enters its fourth year of devastating conflict, civil society organisations and activists express grave concern at the continued suffering of millions of civilians. The war has destroyed lives, livelihoods, and communities, while mass human rights violations are committed daily by the warring factions with complete impunity.
Despite repeated appeals, regional and international bodies have failed to exert the necessary pressure to compel the parties to cease hostilities, allow humanitarian assistance, and halt the flow of arms that sustains the conflict. Sudan risks becoming a forgotten war, with its people abandoned to endless violence.

We note with deep disappointment the failure of the United Nations Security Council on Monday, 25 August 2026, to adopt a resolution banning the use of weaponized drones. These drones have inflicted catastrophic harm on civilians, striking homes, schools, hospitals, and places of worship.

The absence of decisive international action emboldens perpetrators and prolongs civilian suffering.

Its on that very background that Civil society organisations and activists t call upon the international community to,

1).Impose stronger, coordinated measures to compel the warring parties to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities.

2) Ensure the protection of civilians and guarantee unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance.

3). Stop the flow of arms to belligerents, including drones and other weapons used against civilians.

4). Hold perpetrators accountable for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and grave violations of human rights, and bring them to justice.

5).Take decisive action against external actors who interfere in the conflict by supplying arms to the warring parties and adopt strong measures to deter such complicity.

Sudanese civil society remains steadfast in its demand for peace, justice, and dignity. The international community must act urgently and decisively to end impunity, protect civilians, and support a path toward sustainable peace in Sudan.

1/Darfur Victims Support Organization.

2/Voices of Victim News papers. 3/Nabaq organization for rights and development-NORD

4/canabi Congress

5/kawalisMedia

6/African Organization for Rights and Development (AFORD)

7/NADO Media ,Development and peace organization.

8/Sudanease journalist initiative for please and democracy

9/aljasser-news

10/Al Jasser Center for Development and Peace.

11/ Raboa Sudan Organization for Development and Peace.

12/Enlightenment Center for Culture and Dialogue.

13/ woman of change organization .

14/Alberdi for peace &development .

15/the African Lens .

16/Sudan human rights association .

17/ Ajras al-Hamish online Newspaper.

18/Sudanese Organization for Human Rights.

19/Sudanese Center for Democratic Media.

20/Earth Sustainable Development Organization .

21/ Elaf Organization for Peace & Community Development.

22/ justice africa Sudan .

23/ Africa Unity &Peace organisation.

24/Al- Dar Organization
(ALDAR).

25// SA SA Company for Dialogue and Peacebuilding

The post JOINT STATEMENT BY SUDANESE CSOS AND OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS ON THE ONGOING WAR IN SUDAN. appeared first on AFORD.

The post Press Release: AFORD Reaffirms Independence, Condemns All Violence Against Sudanese Civilians appeared first on AFORD.

Kampala, Uganda – October 30, 2025

The African Organization for Rights and Development (AFORD) reaffirms its unwavering stance against the ongoing cycle of violence and destruction in Sudan, following the launch of its comprehensive humanitarian campaign, “Enough Sudanese Bloodshed.” This statement, issued by Ms. Sojoud Elgarrai, Director of Programs and Advocacy at AFORD, highlights the tragic situation in El Fasher and across the country and urgently calls upon all parties involved in the conflict to implement an immediate and sustainable ceasefire to prevent further tragic loss of civilian lives and allow the delivery of essential and life-saving humanitarian aid to affected populations.

Sojoud Elgarrai, Programs and Advocacy Director at the African Organization for Rights and Development (AFORD ), stated that the situation on the ground has deteriorated, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe. The delivery of essential supplies has become virtually impossible, leaving millions of innocent people without access to food, clean water, and medical care. Hospitals are overcrowded and operating without fuel, essential medicines, or security. With every hour the conflict continues, the risk of mass casualties, famine, and the collapse of civil society infrastructure increases dramatically. A temporary pause is insufficient; a sustained ceasefire is the minimum moral requirement to begin stabilizing the crisis.

Elgarrai emphasized that AFORD strongly condemns the recent actions taken by the Sudanese government, including the expulsion of senior World Food Programme officials. These actions directly jeopardize the delivery of vital aid to more than 24 million people facing acute food insecurity and famine conditions, particularly in areas like Darfur. These bureaucratic obstacles, coupled with the use of starvation as a weapon by various warring parties, constitute a clear violation of international humanitarian law. Humanitarian access must be unconditional, and aid workers should not be used as political bargaining chips.

Elgarrai also emphasizes that lasting stability can only be built from within and calls on Sudanese civil society leaders, community elders, and religious organizations to unite immediately, heal the divisions caused by the conflict, and form a unified and inclusive front for peace. Most importantly, she makes a direct appeal to the young people involved in the fighting, from all factions, to lay down their arms. She says they are the future of Sudan, and the cycle of violence must end when they refuse to participate in the destruction of their country and their generation. The way forward is through dialogue and reconstruction, not through continued bloodshed.

The post continues its appeal: “Enough Sudanese Bloodshed” is a call to reclaim shared humanity and demands an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access. appeared first on AFORD.

Kampala, Uganda October 30, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

It is with profound sorrow and alarm that we monitor the horrific escalation of violence and violations against innocent civilians in El Fasher and throughout Sudan. The ongoing events are a stain on the conscience of humanity and have brought the nation’s future to the brink of collapse. We unequivocally reject the continuation of these cycles of violence and retribution. We call upon, urge, and demand all stakeholders:

To embrace the voice of reason and unity. We must stop counting the massacres and disputing their causes. We must stop normalizing the bloodshed that does not discriminate. We must overcome the divisions that have left us either grieving or enraged, while others stumble in the illusion of victory and celebration.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms every drop of blood spilled, every violation committed, and any celebration built upon the bodies of our nation’s sons and daughters. Our country has lost more than its people; we have lost our common humanity by permitting the celebration of death and allowing vengeance to supersede reason and compassion.

Any victory built on the blood of one’s own compatriots is, in truth, a resounding defeat for all. It is a surrender to the very spirit that led us to displacement and destruction.

We call upon all who have lost and now carry anger: we recognize your pain and the difficulty of forgiveness. But we urge you to transform this destructive anger and heed the voice of reason. To those who are divided or who gloat: your fleeting celebration is the fuel that sustains this war. The hand that wipes the tear of the bereaved is more vital and powerful than the hand that wields the weapon. Our unity is our dignity; vengeance is our weakness.

We appeal to the Native Administrations—the Nazirs, Kings, and Sultans: You are the guardians of custom (A’urf) and the memory of the nation. Your role today is more critical and sensitive than it has been in decades. You are the safety valve. Let your voice of reason and wisdom rise above the sound of guns.

We urge you to activate traditional reconciliation mechanisms (Musalahat and Joudiyat) to salvage what remains of our societal fabric.

We call upon the international and regional community, as well as Sudanese civil society, to support all efforts aimed at peacebuilding and reconciliation.

We will not wait for leaders to stop this war. We must decide—today—to stop it within our own hearts and minds.

In this spirit, the African Organisation for Rights andDdevelopment (AFORD) hereby launches the “Kifaya! The Blood is Sudanese” campaign, signifying our absolute rejection of this war’s continuation.

Sincerely,

Mohammed Salihe Media and Communications Director The African Organisation for Rights and Development (AFORD) mohamed@aford.org

The post Statement Regarding the Humanitarian Situation and Launching the ‘Kifaya’ Campaign to Halt Bloodshed in Sudan” appeared first on AFORD.

Regarding the Arbitrary Detention of Citizens from Darfur in Sudan

Al Fajar for Peace, Development, and Justice expresses its deep concern over the continued detention of several Sudanese citizens from the Darfur region, who have been held for more than five months without formal charges or trial, and under harsh detention conditions that violate international human rights standards.

The detainees are:

1. Badr Al-Din Ahmed Adam Ibrahim

2. Ibrahim Adam Ibrahim Adam

3. Musa Amin Ibrahim Adam

4. Ahmed Suleiman Ibrahim Adam

5. Abu Al-Qasim Ahmed Mohammed

Date of arrest: April 26, 2025

Place of arrest: Al-Tawahin – Abu Hamad

Current place of detention: Abu Hamad Police Headquarters

The Organization affirms that all the above-mentioned detainees are civilian workers engaged in artisanal gold mining, and that no evidence has been presented linking them to any armed or political activity.

Although they were subjected to investigation, no charges have been filed against them. Nevertheless, they remain in detention to this day, suffering from severe health and humanitarian conditions, to the extent that some of them can no longer stand on their feet due to medical neglect and lack of proper care.

Al Fajar for Peace, Development, and Justice views this detention — which was carried out under the so-called “Law of Strange Faces” — as a clear violation of the right to liberty and personal security, and a breach of the principles of justice and equality before the law.

This detention constitutes discrimination based on ethnic and tribal identity, contrary to Sudan’s obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Position of the Organization

The Organization, in line with its mandate to defend justice and human dignity, strongly condemns the policy of arresting individuals based on their identity or geographic origin.

It affirms that such practices contravene international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, and pose a serious threat to social peace and the unity of Sudanese society.

Demands and Recommendations

Al Fajar for Peace, Development, and Justice calls upon the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to take the following actions:

1. Urgently demand the immediate and unconditional release of the five detainees and ensure their physical and psychological safety.

2. Condemn the policy of detention based on identity and tribal affiliation, as it constitutes a discriminatory practice in violation of international human rights norms.

3. Establish an independent international investigation committee to examine the circumstances of the detention and hold those responsible for the violations accountable.

4. Ensure international monitoring of detention facilities in Sudan to prevent the recurrence of such violations.

5. Urge the Sudanese authorities to fully comply with international humanitarian law and to respect the rights of all citizens without discrimination.

Conclusion

Al Fajar for Peace, Development, and Justice reiterates that respect for the rule of law and the preservation of human dignity form the true foundation for achieving lasting and just peace in Sudan.

The Organization calls upon the international community to assume its moral and legal responsibilities to guarantee the immediate release of the detainees and to put an end to all forms of discrimination and arbitrary detention.

Issued by:

Al Fajar for Peace, Development, and Justice

Sweden – September 2025

Home

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As part of the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Centres submitted an oral statement under item 5 expressing its deep concern over the grave and systematic violations committed by the Sudanese army and allied militias against civilians across Sudan. The Federation stressed that these violations amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, including extrajudicial killings, widespread sexual violence, ethnic cleansing, and obstruction of humanitarian aid.

The statement presented reads as follows:

Mr. President,
We wish to express to this esteemed Council our deep concern regarding the grave and systematic violations committed by the Sudanese army and allied militias against civilians in many regions of Sudan, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, extrajudicial killings, widespread sexual violence, and obstruction of humanitarian aid.

Mr. President,
The Sudanese Human Rights Centres Federation, comprising 34 Sudanese human rights organization, along with international bodies, has documented horrific violations by the Sudanese army and its allies from terrorist groups and movements such as the Al-Baraa Bin Malik Organization and the Justice and Equality Movement. These include indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, systematic rape, forced displacement, and ethnic cleansing campaigns, among other crimes committed particularly in January 2025 in Darfur, Al-Jazira, and Kombo, which resulted in the killing of more than 700 civilians, including women and children.

We call on the Human Rights Council to refer these violations, crimes against humanity, and war crimes committed by the Sudanese army to the International Criminal Court. We also urge the opening of a special discussion to establish the responsibility of the military leadership in Port Sudan for violations committed against civilians, the obstruction of UN mechanisms, and their refusal to cooperate.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The Federation’s statement makes clear that the Sudanese army’s campaign of atrocities is systematic. The ethnic cleansing, mass killings, and sexual violence deliberately directed against civilians need to be looked at in a much more serious light. By documenting these crimes and linking them to terrorist movements aligned with the army, the Federation underscores the gravity of the threat to peace and security in Sudan.

By calling for a referral to the International Criminal Court and a special discussion on the responsibility of military leadership in Port Sudan, the Federation has placed accountability at the forefront. The message is unambiguous: justice and accountability are essential if the suffering of Sudanese civilians is to end, and if the credibility of this Council is to be preserved.

The post Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Centres Calls for ICC Referral of Sudanese Army Crimes and Accountability of Military Leadership appeared first on AFORD.

As part of the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Organizations submitted an oral statement under item 5 expressing its deep concern over the grave and systematic violations committed by the Sudanese army and allied militias against civilians, stressing that these amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. The statement highlighted the catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where more than 30 million people face acute food insecurity, half of them women and children

The statement presented reads as follows:

Mr. President,
We wish to express to this esteemed Council our deep concern regarding the grave and systematic violations committed by the Sudanese army and allied militias against civilians, which amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, particularly the so-called “Alsayad Force,” responsible for the use of chemical and internationally prohibited weapons against civilians.

The Sudanese army has carried out ethnic massacres, used internationally banned weapons, and deliberately targeted civilians and vital civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals. Numerous reports have documented horrific violations, including arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, the besiegement of areas, and obstruction of humanitarian aid delivery, causing immense human suffering and the spread of famine that has reached catastrophic levels, according to United Nations reports for 2025, with over 30 million people facing acute food insecurity, half of them women and children.

Mr. President,
We stress the need to strengthen the work of the Independent Investigative Committee mandated to document violations. We also urge the Council to demand full cooperation by the Sudanese army with United Nations mechanisms, and to end impunity through the imposition of strict international sanctions. We further emphasize that achieving peace requires the activation of measures to ensure justice, the protection of civilians, and the end of the suffering of the Sudanese people.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The Federation’s statement does more than recount violations, it also frames them within international law as war crimes and crimes against humanity. By highlighting chemical weapons, ethnic massacres, and deliberate starvation, it demonstrates that the crisis in Sudan is not accidental but systematic.

By calling for the strengthening of the Independent Investigative Committee, strict sanctions, and cooperation with UN mechanisms, the Federation placed accountability at the centre of peace. The closing words leave no doubt. That Sudan will not know peace without justice, and the suffering of civilians must be ended through decisive international action.

The Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Organizations has posed a direct challenge to the credibility of the United Nations: either act to protect Sudanese civilians, or allow this catastrophe to stand as a lasting stain on the conscience of the international community.

The post Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Organizations Condemns Sudanese Army’s Use Of Banned Weapons And Calls For An End To Impunity appeared first on AFORD.

Geneva / Human Rights Council

Within the framework of the participation of the Federation of Sudanese Human Rights Centres and the Dawn Organization for Peace, Development and Human Rights in the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, an oral statement was delivered on behalf of Sudanese human rights organizations during the interactive dialogue, under item 4of the Council’s agenda.

The statement raises concerns over the Sudanese army and allied militias’ alleged use of chemical, incendiary, and cluster weapons against civilians in 2024 – 2025. It describes the severe human toll of these attacks, including deaths, horrific injuries, mass displacement, and psychological trauma, stressing that such actions violate international law and amount to war crimes. The appeal calls on the council to condemn the violations, initiate an independent investigation and forensic analysis, refer Sudan to the international criminal court, impose sanctions on those responsible, provide urgent medical and psychological support for survivors.

The statement, delivered by the Federation on behalf of several Sudanese human rights organizations and civil society institutions, read as follows:

Mr. President,

There is growing documented evidence of the Sudanese army and allied militias using chemical and internationally prohibited weapons. According to eyewitness testimonies, medical personnel, and human rights organizations, civilian areas were targeted in 2024 and early 2025 with bombs and shells emitting suffocating gases with pungent odours, causing symptoms of asphyxiation and horrific burns, acts that amount to war crimes under the Rome Statute.

Mr. President,
In addition to the chemical weapons deployed by the Sudanese army. The army has used cluster munitions and internationally banned incendiary weapons. More than 129 bombings have been documented, accompanied by unusual phenomena such as victims’ bodies being burned, disfigured, and swollen. These attacks triggered mass displacement and inflicted severe psychological and physical trauma, compounding civilians’ suffering and depriving them of essential care. Such acts constitute a flagrant violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and international humanitarian law.

Mr. President, 

We urge this esteemed Council to condemn these crimes and to launch an independent international investigation that includes field visits and forensic evidence analysis, and to refer Sudan’s case to the International Criminal Court. We further call for the imposition of international sanctions on those responsible, the provision of urgent medical and psychological support to survivors, and the adoption of decisive measures to prevent the recurrence of such atrocities that threaten the conscience of the international community.

Thank you, Mr. President.

The post Zero Pauvre Afrique Delivers An Oral Statement Before The Human Rights Council On Sudan appeared first on AFORD.

Press Release
For Immediate Release
26 September 2025 

Since April 2023, Sudan has been caught in a severe conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). What started in Khartoum has quickly spread throughout the country, including Darfur, West Kordofan, and Al Jazira. The war has led to one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises: over 150,000 people killed, more than 10.5 million displaced, and 25 million pushed into extreme food insecurity. 

As the fighting has escalated, so too have the tactics. Reports document indiscriminate aerial bombardments, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and deliberate targeting of markets, hospitals, schools, and water sources. Most alarmingly, there is growing evidence that the Sudanese Armed Forces have deployed chemical weapons against civilian populations. Victims and eyewitnesses describe symptoms such as respiratory distress, burns, neurological damage, and water contamination — all consistent with exposure to toxic agents like chlorine gas. 

Throughout the year, international concern has been mounting, on 22 May 2025,the United States government imposed sanctions on Sudan after determining its forces had used chemical weapons in 2024, in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and independent media have documented similar patterns of abuse. In response to the escalating atrocities despite the above mentioned pressure, Sudanese Alliance for Rights (SAR) has launched a coordinated campaign for justice and accountability through multiple international mechanisms. 

SAR has requested urgent technical assistance and an independent fact-finding mission. The OPCW is the treaty body mandated to uphold the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), to which Sudan is a State Party. By engaging the OPCW, SAR seeks internationally recognised verification of chemical weapons use through accredited laboratories and chain-of-custody investigations. This step is critical not only to confirm violations but also to ensure that evidence gathered can be relied upon in legal proceedings at the regional and international level. 

SAR has also filed a detailed communication under Article 15 of the Rome Statute, presenting evidence based on research carried out this year, that SAF authorised and deployed chemical weapons in Darfur, Khartoum, and Al Jazira. The use of chemical weapons constitutes war crimes, and depending on intent and targeting, may also amount to crimes against humanity or genocide. By taking this case to the ICC, SAR seeks individual criminal accountability for those who ordered or enabled these attacks, ensuring that impunity at the highest levels of command is challenged. 

Additionally, SAR lodged a complaint demonstrating Sudan’s violations of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, including the rights to life, dignity, health, property, and peace. The ACHPR provides a regional accountability avenue that not only addresses state responsibility but can also issue urgent protective measures. SAR is pressing the Commission to call for an immediate halt to chemical weapons use, order reparations for victims, and demand environmental decontamination of affected areas. This regional action is vital for mobilising African institutions and states to take a stand against Sudan’s violations. 

The deliberate use of chemical weapons marks a horrifying escalation in Sudan’s war against its own people. These atrocities not only violate international law but also shatter the conscience of humanity. The Sudanese Alliance for Rights calls on the world to act decisively: to investigate, hold perpetrators accountable, and stand with the victims whose suffering must not be ignored. Justice for Sudan cannot wait. 

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