UN Secretary-General appeals to Sudan’s warring factions to cease hostilities

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appealed to the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to immediately cease hostilities, restore calm, and begin a dialogue to resolve the current crisis in Sudan as the death toll mounts.

Guterres condemned the outbreak of the fighting and said “the situation has already led to horrendous loss of life, including many civilians,”. He warned that “any further escalation could be devastating for the country and the region”.

The appeal by Guterres, via spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, follows the escalating conflict between the RSF and Sudan Armed Forces, which began in Khartoum three days ago and has since spread across Sudan, leaving at least 185 dead and 1,800 injured, according to UN estimates.

The death toll is likely to be much higher as witnesses report that there are many bodies in the streets of the central cities that no one can recover because of the ongoing shooting. The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD) reported at least 144 civilian casualties alone and explained that this is an incomplete estimate.

The Secretary-General condemned the deaths and injuries of civilians and humanitarian workers and the targeting and looting of premises. He reminded all parties of the need to respect international law, including ensuring the safety and security of all United Nations and associated personnel and humanitarian aid workers.

A United States of America diplomatic convoy was fired upon in Sudan yesterday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters today. He explained that those inside were unharmed but called the incident “reckless” and “irresponsible.”  

The Secretary-General urged all those with influence over the situation to use it in the cause of peace, to support efforts to end the violence, restore order, and return to the path of transition.

Over the weekend, Guterres spoke to both Sudanese leaders, and he also spoke with the head of the African Union, and the Arab League, as well as President Abdelfattah El Sisi of Egypt.

‘International interference’

A statement by Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs earlier this morning laments that “all national, regional, and international mediation that sought to persuade the RSF command to integrate into the armed forces has failed due to the leaders’ intransigence”.

The statement closes the door to international, Arab, and African mediation and said that the matter “the matter is an internal one that should be left to the Sudanese to achieve the required settlement among them, away from international interference”.