UN chief warns Sudan conflict is getting out of hand - may Allah protect the innocent
As-salamu alaykum - The UN secretary-general has warned that the war in Sudan is “spiraling out of control” after a paramilitary force took the Darfur city of El-Fasher.
Speaking at an international meeting in Qatar, Antonio Guterres urged an immediate ceasefire in the two-year conflict, calling the situation one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. He said hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped by the siege, and people are dying from malnutrition, disease and violence. He also mentioned credible reports of widespread executions after the Rapid Support Forces entered the city.
Aid workers and witnesses fleeing the area report mass casualties, attacks on hospitals, ethnically targeted killings and sexual assaults. The Rapid Support Forces deny these accusations, but testimonies, videos and satellite images paint a grim picture. Poor communications in the region make it hard to know the full scale of the violence.
El-Fasher had been under siege for about 18 months, with supplies cut off to tens of thousands of people. The recent takeover has caused fresh waves of displacement and suffering.
When asked about international peacekeepers, Guterres stressed the need for the global community and those with influence over Sudan to push for a stop to the fighting. He said preventing more weapons from entering Sudan and creating accountability mechanisms are essential, given the severity of the crimes being reported.
The conflict between the Rapid Support Forces and Sudan’s military has been ongoing since April 2023. UN figures estimate more than 40,000 killed, though aid groups warn the real toll may be much higher. Over 14 million people have been displaced, disease is spreading, and parts of the country are facing famine that could widen.
“It is clear we need a ceasefire in Sudan,” Guterres said. “We need to stop this carnage that is absolutely intolerable.”
May Allah grant patience and relief to those suffering, protect the innocent, and guide leaders to act justly.
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