Berlin, June 24 (QNA) - Germany, along with six other European countries, warned of an imminent escalation in the Sudanese city of El Obeid, calling on the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to halt its attack immediately, allow civilians to leave safely, and ensure rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access.

This came in a joint statement issued by the German Foreign Ministry on behalf of the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

The ministers expressed their deep concern over reports of the RSF's continued assault on El Obeid, despite calls for a halt to the attack and protection of civilians. The statement noted that last year, the world witnessed with horror the atrocities in El Fasher, crimes that are assessed to bear the “hallmarks of genocide”, stressing that such failures should not be repeated.

The statement explained that in recent weeks, repeated drone strikes on El Obeid have killed civilians and driven acute shortages of fuel, food and water. It added that humanitarian workers continue to provide life-saving assistance, but are being deliberately targeted.

There are now credible signs of an imminent offensive. This is a critical moment, and the international community must act, the European ministers warned.

The statement called on the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) to de-escalate, uphold international humanitarian law, and honour their commitments under the Jeddah Declaration.

In the same joint statement, the UK government noted that in the last 24 hours, drone strikes and attacks on vital civilian infrastructure continued, targeting supply routes in North Kordofan and White Nile states, as well as fuel stations and power lines, cutting off access to essential services for more than 500,000 people, including 200,000 internally displaced persons.

The ministers stressed that preventing a repeat of what happened in El Fasher requires urgent action.

The United Nations recently warned that escalating violence in and around the Sudanese city of El Obeid continues to expose civilians to increasing risks and disrupt basic services, renewing its call for the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure. (QNA)