United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for immediate efforts to cease hostilities and ensure the protection of civilians in war-torn Sudan. However, he stated that current conditions are not favorable for the deployment of a UN force to safeguard civilians.
“Eighteen months have passed since brutal fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, ” Guterres told the UN Security Council on Monday. “The suffering is growing, with nearly 25 million people now in need of humanitarian assistance.”
Guterres described the crisis as a nightmare of violence for the people of Sudan, with thousands of civilians killed and many others subjected to horrific atrocities, including rape and sexual assaults.
The UN chief further stressed that Sudan is facing an escalating humanitarian crisis, with 750, 000 people suffering from catastrophic food insecurity. Famine-like conditions are already affecting displacement camps in North Darfur, and millions are struggling to secure food daily.
He warned that Sudan is witnessing an alarming rise in ethnic violence, particularly with the intensification of fighting in El Fasher.
