On Thursday, the United Nations issued a dire call for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, as the conflict ravages into its second year, exacerbating a severe humanitarian crisis.
In a statement, the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission demanded a halt to hostilities, the protection of civilians, and unfettered access to humanitarian aid to reach the millions in desperate need.
The conflict has caused unprecedented displacement, with over 6 million people displaced within Sudan and nearly 2 million fleeing to neighboring countries. The humanitarian fallout is staggering, with 24 million individuals requiring aid and 18 million facing acute food insecurity.
Mohamed Chande Othman, the head of the International Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan, emphasizes the urgency of ending the conflict. “It’s imperative that this destructive war cease. The warring factions must immediately stop all violence, including sexual and gender-based violence, and those responsible for grave human rights violations must be held accountable,” he insists.
The UN mission’s report criticizes the warring parties’ disregard for the Security Council’s appeal for a ceasefire during Ramadan, highlighting indiscriminate attacks on civilians and vital infrastructure like hospitals and schools. These actions violate the combatants’ legal obligations to safeguard civilian lives.
“We’re investigating alarming reports of ongoing attacks targeting civilians and civil infrastructure, clearly breaching the factions’ legal duty to protect the innocent,” Othman reports.
Furthermore, the mission points to assaults on humanitarian aid convoys and infrastructure as egregious violations of international humanitarian law. With only 6% of the required $2.7 billion funded to address this humanitarian disaster, the mission looks to the forthcoming Paris Conference on Sudan as a crucial opportunity to secure the necessary support.
The conflict, which erupted on April 15 last year between the Sudanese military and the Rapid Support Forces, has plunged the country into deep turmoil.
This urgent appeal from the United Nations underscores the critical need for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, calling on the international community to step up efforts to alleviate the suffering and support the millions affected by this devastating conflict.
