United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that Sudan’s civil war is “spiraling out of control” following the capture of the Darfur city of El-Fasher by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Speaking at a UN summit in Qatar on Tuesday, Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire in the two-year conflict, describing the situation as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
“Hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped by this siege,” he said, adding that people are dying from malnutrition, disease, and violence, and that there are “credible reports of widespread executions” since the RSF entered the city.
UN officials have warned of large-scale atrocities, including killings inside a hospital and ethnically targeted violence. The RSF has denied the allegations, though testimonies, satellite imagery, and online footage suggest extensive destruction and civilian casualties.
Guterres urged the international community to act collectively to halt the fighting and prevent further arms from entering Sudan. “We need to create mechanisms of accountability because the crimes being committed are so horrendous,” he said.
The war between the RSF and the Sudanese military has raged since April 2023, killing more than 40,000 people and displacing over 14 million. Aid agencies warn that famine and disease are spreading rapidly across the country.
Speaking at a UN summit in Qatar on Tuesday, Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire in the two-year conflict, describing the situation as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
“Hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped by this siege,” he said, adding that people are dying from malnutrition, disease, and violence, and that there are “credible reports of widespread executions” since the RSF entered the city.
UN officials have warned of large-scale atrocities, including killings inside a hospital and ethnically targeted violence. The RSF has denied the allegations, though testimonies, satellite imagery, and online footage suggest extensive destruction and civilian casualties.
Guterres urged the international community to act collectively to halt the fighting and prevent further arms from entering Sudan. “We need to create mechanisms of accountability because the crimes being committed are so horrendous,” he said.
The war between the RSF and the Sudanese military has raged since April 2023, killing more than 40,000 people and displacing over 14 million. Aid agencies warn that famine and disease are spreading rapidly across the country.
