The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, urged Sudan’s warring parties on Thursday to halt hostilities during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.
He warned that the nearly year-long conflict threatens the nation’s unity and risks igniting “regional instability of dramatic proportions.”
Guterres’ appeal comes ahead of a potential Friday vote by the U.N. Security Council on a British-drafted resolution calling for “an immediate cessation of hostilities ahead of the month of Ramadan.”
The resolution expresses deep concern about the escalating violence and the devastating humanitarian crisis, particularly the severe food insecurity plaguing Darfur.
The conflict began in April 2023 when tensions between the military, led by General Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo erupted into street battles in Khartoum.
The violence spread to other regions, but in Darfur, it took a particularly brutal form, with the Arab-dominated RSF launching attacks on ethnic African civilians. Thousands have been killed.
Guterres highlighted renewed military offensives, growing fears of wider conflict in the east, calls for civilian armament in some states, and the involvement of armed groups in Darfur and South Kordofan.
He emphasized that these developments exacerbate the risk of further fragmentation, escalating intercommunal tensions, and ethnic violence.
“A Ramadan cessation of hostilities can help stem the suffering and usher the way to sustainable peace,” Guterres stated.
Sudan’s U.N. Ambassador, Al-Harith Mohamed, welcomed the Secretary-General’s appeal and relayed General Burhan’s support for a Ramadan ceasefire.
However, Mohamed expressed concerns about implementation, citing ongoing RSF attacks. He emphasized a need for a mechanism to enforce the ceasefire if it is to be successful.
The conflict’s humanitarian consequences are reaching catastrophic proportions. Guterres reported that half of Sudan’s population, some 25 million people, require life-saving assistance.
Alarmingly, 18 million face acute food insecurity, with reports of children succumbing to malnutrition. The conflict has also created the world’s worst internal displacement crisis, with 6.3 million people fleeing their homes within Sudan. Civilian infrastructure lies in ruins, with 70% of health facilities in conflict zones non-functional. Millions of children are also deprived of education.
The situation is further compounded by reports of systematic sexual violence, including rape, gang rape, abduction, and human trafficking for sexual exploitation.
With Ramadan expected to begin around Sunday, depending on the sighting of the new moon, Britain’s deputy U.N. ambassador, James Kariuki, urged the Security Council to vote on the ceasefire resolution on Friday.
He condemned the actions of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and RSF, holding them accountable for the horrific situation.
Kariuki echoed the Secretary-General’s call for a ceasefire and urged the government to facilitate aid deliveries from Chad to Darfur and allow unrestricted humanitarian access across conflict lines.
He concluded by emphasizing that the military should not dictate Sudan’s political future, calling for a transition to a civilian government that respects the fundamental human rights of the Sudanese people.
