United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, warning that the situation in the war-torn country is rapidly worsening following the fall of a key city to paramilitary forces.
Speaking on Tuesday at the World Summit for Social Development in Doha, Guterres urged Sudan’s rival factions to embrace dialogue and end what he described as a “nightmare of violence”.
“The horrifying crisis in Sudan is spiralling out of control. I call on all sides to come to the negotiating table and bring an end to this senseless bloodshed, now,” the UN chief said.
His comments come after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, RSF, locked in conflict with the Sudanese army since April 2023, captured the strategic city of El-Fasher late last month after an 18-month siege.
According to reports, the RSF’s takeover has been accompanied by widespread atrocities, including summary executions, sexual violence, looting, abductions, and attacks on humanitarian workers. Communication with residents in El-Fasher remains largely severed, raising fears of a worsening humanitarian catastrophe.
“El-Fasher and the surrounding areas in North Darfur have long been epicentres of suffering, hunger, and displacement. Since the RSF entered the city, the situation has deteriorated dramatically. Hundreds of thousands of civilians remain trapped, many dying from malnutrition, disease, and violence,” Guterres said.
He also condemned the ongoing violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws reported across Sudan, calling for urgent global attention to the crisis.
Turning to the Middle East, Guterres also expressed deep concern over fresh violations of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, which had brought a temporary end to more than two years of conflict.
The UN chief’s remarks followed reports of renewed Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, after the Israeli military said that three bodies retrieved from the enclave were not those of its hostages.
Hamas officials said over 100 people were killed in Israeli attacks last Tuesday, while another 45 died in earlier strikes on October 19, according to the territory’s civil defence agency.
“I am deeply troubled by the continued breaches of the Gaza ceasefire,” Guterres said. “These violations must stop, and all parties must fully comply with the terms of the first phase of the peace agreement.”
