El-fasher: The UN secretary-general has voiced ‘grave concern’ over escalating violence in El-Fasher, Sudan, and the deteriorating situation in the Kordofan region. This comes amid reports of mass atrocities and severe human rights violations.
According to Anadolu Agency, UN chief Antonio Guterres used a post on US social media company X to urge for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries has intensified, prompting Guterres to call for the cessation of the external flow of weapons and fighters into the conflict. He emphasized the urgent need for humanitarian aid to reach civilians swiftly.
The UN leader has called on both conflicting parties to undertake ‘swift, tangible steps’ towards a negotiated settlement to prevent further deterioration of the crisis in Sudan.
The conflict has been marked by the RSF’s recent seizure of El-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur State, on Oct. 26. This takeover has led to massacres, as reported by both local and international organizations, raising concerns about a potential geographical partition of the country. Following this, clashes have spread to new areas, notably the central and southern regions of Kordofan.
Currently, the RSF controls all five states in the Darfur region except for some northern parts of North Darfur, which remain under army control. Meanwhile, the Sudanese army holds sway over most of the remaining 13 states, including the capital, Khartoum. The conflict, which began in April 2023, has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and the displacement of millions.