The US State Secretary, Marco Rubio, has called for international action to disrupt the flow of weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), warning of consequences for the paramilitary group’s backers.
Speaking to reporters following the G7 Summit in Canada, Rubio said that the situation in Sudan “is horrifying,” blaming the RSF for the violence, particularly after the fall of El-Fasher.
No Commitment to Truce
The US State Secretary referred to a US-backed humanitarian truce that the RSF supported but did not commit to. “I think the fundamental problem we have is that the RSF agrees to things and then never follows through with it,” Rubio said.
“The RSF a few days ago agreed to a humanitarian ceasefire, but they don’t intend to comply with it,” he added.
In mid-September, the Quad – a group including the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE – proposed a roadmap for peace in Sudan. The roadmap involved a three-month humanitarian truce, followed by a permanent ceasefire and a 9-month transition to civilian-led government.
A week ago, after it had seized El-Fahser, the RSF announced it had agreed to the truce. But the SAF said it will consider the proposal.
RSF Atrocities
The US State Secretary also noted that the paramilitary group was committing systematic atrocities, including murder, rape and sexual violence against civilians.
“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.
“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,” he said.
On October 23, 2025, the RSF declared that they had captured the capital city of North Darfur state, El-Fasher, after seizing the 6th Infantry Division command, SAF’s main base in North Darfur state after an 18-month siege.
Since then, the paramilitary group has unleashed heinous attacks against civilians, killing hundreds while tens of thousands remain trapped in the city or have disappeared as they tried to escape.
Cutting Weapons Supply
Furthermore, Rubio pointed to the urgency of taking action to cut off weapons supply to the RSF. “I think something needs to be done to cut off the weapons and support that the RSF is getting as they continue with their advances,” he said.
“It’s coming through some country and we know who they are and we’re going to talk to them about it and make them understand that it’s going to reflect poorly on them and it’s going to reflect poorly on the world if we can’t stop this,” Rubio added.
According to BBC, Amnesty International said it had found evidence of weapons manufactured in Serbia, Russia, China, Türkiye, Yemen and UAE being used in Sudan.
UAE Alleged Support
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) has repeatedly accused the UAE of supporting the RSF with weapons and mercenaries. Abu Dhabi has consistently denied the allegations, rejecting all claims of providing support to either warring party.
Rubio, for his part, stopped short of publicly accusing the UAE – a close US ally and a member of the Quad group.
“We know who the parties are that are involved. These things – that’s why they’re part of the Quad along with other countries involved,” Rubio said, adding that “this needs to stop.”
The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023 between the SAF and the RSF, bringing the country closer to effective partition, as the SAF controls the center, north and east, while the RSF holds the entire Darfur region and parts of the south, with each side declaring a government.
Moreover, the conflict has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced over 14 million inside Sudan and to neighboring countries, and pushed parts of the country into famine amid cholera outbreaks, triggering what the UN called “the world’s most devastating humanitarian and displacement crisis.”
