UN chief expresses deep concern over SAF’s rights abuses

The United Nations has expressed deep concern over ongoing attacks targeting civilians by SAF and other factions across Sudan.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres voiced his grave alarm over reports of illegal executions against civilians in the Khartoum Bahri area, allegedly carried out by fighters and Islamists linked to General al-Burhan’s forces (SAF).

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed that many of the victims in these incidents are believed to be from Darfur and Kordofan, underscoring the humanitarian toll of the ongoing conflict.

The UN Human Rights Office continues to investigate these alarming developments in an effort to document violations and hold perpetrators accountable.

In a related statement, the Secretary-General urged all parties involved in the Sudanese conflict to comply with international laws, particularly those concerning the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Dujarric highlighted that Sudanese men, women, and children continue to bear the brunt of the protracted conflict.

On the humanitarian front, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has expressed serious concern over the continued targeting of civilians by conflict parties across Sudan.

Reports indicate that 60 people were killed and 150 others injured in SAF shelling that hit a crowded market and attacks on several residential areas in Omdurman, Khartoum State.

Recent reports also mention civilian casualties in attacks in North Kordofan, North Darfur, and South Darfur.

Dujarric expressed particular concern over ongoing attacks on the Abu Shouk IDP camp, which declared a food shortage emergency in December.

UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Niquita Salami, condemned these indiscriminate attacks and called for an immediate halt to the bloodshed.

OCHA also expressed concern over the rising cases of severe malnutrition in Khartoum State.

Local reports indicate more than 70 deaths linked to hunger, the majority of which were children.

In January alone, over 1,100 cases of severe malnutrition were recorded in three neighborhoods in Omdurman, highlighting the urgent need for food aid and a halt to hostilities.

Malnutrition rates are particularly high in areas where humanitarian access restrictions have prevented community kitchens—relied upon by many families—from operating.

The UN spokesperson emphasized the urgent need to increase funding for humanitarian efforts and logistical support to ensure the continuity of nutrition programs and the operation of community kitchens, ensuring that vulnerable populations, especially children and the elderly, receive adequate food and healthcare.

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