UN chief warns Sudan’s warring forces are escalating attacks and foreigners are “fueling the fire”

On October 29, 2024By Karl

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Sudan’s warring military and paramilitary forces are stepping up attacks Foreign powers are “fanning the fire” This has intensified the nightmare of hunger and disease for millions of people, the United Nations chief said on Monday.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned the UN Security Council that the 18-month-long war has a serious chance of “exacerbating regional instability from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea”.

In a grim report, Guterres said Sudanese people were experiencing multiple “nightmares”, from murders and “unspeakable atrocities” including widespread rape to rapidly spreading diseases, mass ethnic violence and 750,000 people facing “catastrophic food insecurity” and famine conditions he said. In displacement zones in North Darfur.

brought forward” Shocking reports of mass shootings and sexual violence Recently in villages in the eastern central Gezira province. The UN and a group of doctors said paramilitary fighters had rioted in the area, launching a multi-day offensive in one town that left more than 120 people dead.

Sudan It descended into conflict in mid-April 2023 when long-simmering tensions between the military and paramilitary leaders erupted in the capital Khartoum and spread to other regions, including West Darfur.

war killed More than 24,000 so far, according to Armed Conflict Location and Event Data, a group that has tracked the conflict since its inception. This has created the world’s worst displacement crisis, with more than 11 million people fleeing their homes, including 3 million to neighboring countries.

Guterres called on both sides to agree to an immediate cessation of hostilities, ensure the protection of civilians for whom they bear primary responsibility, and ensure that humanitarian aid flows to millions in need.

The secretary-general said he was “horrified” by reports that paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continued to attack civilians in North Darfur’s capital El Fasher and surrounding areas, including displaced areas where famine had been confirmed.

“I am also appalled by reports of attacks on civilians by forces affiliated with the Sudanese Armed Forces in Khartoum and the ongoing mass civilian casualties in populated areas due to blatantly indiscriminate airstrikes,” he said.

Guterres said those who violate international humanitarian law must be held accountable.

The war began four years after a pro-democracy uprising forced the army to oust Sudan’s long-time dictator Omar al-Bashir, followed by a brief transition to democracy.

It was marked by atrocities such as gang rape and ethnicity-based murders. The United Nations and international rights groups say these actions amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, in particular. Western region of DarfurFacing a fierce attack from the Janjaweed-born RSF.

Two decades ago, Darfur became synonymous with genocide and war crimes against peoples identified as Central or East African, especially by the notorious Janjaweed Arab militias. Some 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million were driven from their homes.

That legacy appears to have returned, International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan said in January. Both sides may be committing war crimescrimes against humanity or the genocide in Darfur.