UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo to act responsibly and immediately order a halt to the RSF offensive, Mr. Dujarric said in a statement.
“It is unconscionable that the warring parties continue to ignore calls to cease hostilities,” he said. “Any further escalation would threaten to spread the conflict along inter-communal lines across Darfur.”
Sudan has been embroiled in conflict between RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces since April 2023. The fighting has displaced millions of people and left many parts of the country suffering from famine and severe shortages of life-saving aid.
“The Secretary-General stresses that a ceasefire is not only necessary but imperative, both in El Fasher and across other conflict zones in Sudan,” a UN spokesperson said.
“The humanitarian situation in the region is dire, with hundreds of thousands of people in dire need,” he added.
He added that parties to the conflict have a clear obligation under international humanitarian law to protect civilians, and that attacks must not target them or civilian infrastructure, and that care must be taken to protect them at all times.
“The Secretary-General reiterates that his Special Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, continues to work for peace,” Mr. Dujarric said. “He stands ready to support genuine efforts to end this violence and move towards peace.”
He said humanitarian organizations are also ready to rapidly scale up assistance in El Fasher and other needy areas across Sudan.
