UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for a seven-day humanitarian ceasefire in El Fasher, North Darfur’s besieged capital.
Speaking from UN headquarters in New York, Guterres described the situation as “dramatic,” citing a recent attack on a UNICEF and World Food Programme convoy.
He stressed that civilians are starving and trapped in “an extremely difficult situation” as fighting intensifies between General Abdel Fattah al Burhan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Guterres said a truce was necessary to allow aid agencies time to prepare and deliver large-scale humanitarian relief in the region.
He urged both sides to recognise the urgency and “avoid the catastrophe that we are witnessing in El Fasher.”
Since May 10, 2024, El Fasher has been engulfed in fierce clashes, threatening to derail aid operations across all five Darfur states.
The wider war between the Burhan’s army and RSF, ongoing since April 2023, has devastated the country and shattered civilian life.
The UN and local authorities estimate more than 20,000 people have been killed and 14 million displaced.
However, independent research by US universities suggests the real death toll may be closer to 130,000.
El Fasher, once a key humanitarian lifeline, now stands at the brink of collapse as war consumes the city and its people.
Guterres’ plea adds to mounting international pressure for a ceasefire that could offer brief but vital respite.
