European Parliament Votes to Urge Terrorist Label for Sudan RSF and Condemn All Foreign Interference

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on July 9 calling on EU member states to designate the Rapid Support Forces as a terrorist organization. The measure passed with 476 votes in favor, 28 against and 96 abstentions out of 600 members participating.

The resolution strongly condemned atrocities against civilians and civilian infrastructure in the Sudanese city of El-Obeid during the RSF's ongoing siege.

It also condemned war crimes and crimes against humanity across Sudan and warned of the growing risk of further violations of international humanitarian law. MEPs urged states to end all forms of support for the RSF, particularly weapons supplies, and called for the group to be added to the EU's list of terrorist organizations.

They further urged sanctions on those responsible for attacks on civilians and on external entities complicit in violating the UN arms embargo, including Global Security Services Group.

The resolution called for an independent investigation into war crimes and for the International Criminal Court to expand its jurisdiction to cover all of Sudan. It also condemned all foreign interference fueling the conflict. MEPs urged the EU to scale up humanitarian assistance to Sudan, including direct funding for frontline local organizations in the health sector, and stressed the need to establish humanitarian corridors for civilian evacuations and aid delivery.

They called for an end to attacks against civilians, including sexual violence, and to the famine resulting from the conflict.