Britain and France were among nine UN Security Council members to urge all parties in Sudan Monday to “exercise the utmost restraint” amid deadly violence during demonstrations against military rule. The call came as Sudanese security forces killed seven protesters among thousands rallying against last year’s military coup, medics said. “We express our serious concern about the military coup in Sudan on October 25, 2021”, said the text, which was also signed by Mexico, Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, Ireland and Norway. The statement, released after a meeting of the 15-member council, also urged all parties to “refrain from the use of violence and emphasize the importance of full respect for human rights, including the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.” The meeting involved Karim Khan, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC). “We are also concerned that political instability impacts the security situation in Darfur and call upon Sudan to offer its full support and cooperation with the office of the prosecutor,” the statement added. The latest fatalities bring to 71 the number of protesters killed since the October 25 coup led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan.