Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday appealed to world leaders and aid agencies to “guarantee humanitarian corridors and implement a coordinated response” for civilians in Sudan, citing “dramatic” reports from Darfur and nationwide hunger and disease. The remarks came during his weekly audience in St Peter’s Square.
He asked the faithful to pray for victims of a devastating mudslide in the Marra Mountains—known locally as Tarsin/Tarasin—and said he was “closer than ever” to Sudanese families, children and the displaced.
Local and UN estimates suggest the landslide killed between 300 and 1,000 people, underscoring how extreme weather is compounding a civil war that has trapped civilians, choked off aid and fueled outbreaks of cholera.
Darfur remains a focal point of fighting between General al-Burhan’s army (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces, with large areas inaccessible to the UN and humanitarian groups. The Pope urged an “inclusive dialogue” to halt the conflict and restore dignity and peace.
