In a concerning statement issued on Tuesday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) urgently called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan.”
In their statement released on platform “X” (formerly known as Twitter), the UN agency alerted that “6 million people in Sudan are a single step away from famine.” The report also indicated that over 14 million children in the country are in dire need of humanitarian assistance, emphasizing the critical role the international community must play to end the war in Sudan.
For over three months, intense and widespread clashes have been ongoing between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with many of the confrontations centered in the capital, Khartoum. These confrontations have resulted in hundreds of casualties and injuries among civilians.
Differences between the head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council and the commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the leader of the RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, became publicly evident. These disputes emerged after the signing of the “Framework Agreement” last December, which initiated the transition period between the military and civilian components. This accord acknowledged the army’s exit from politics and the handing over of power to civilians.
Dagalo accused the Sudanese army of planning to remain in power and not transferring authority to civilians. This accusation came in light of the army’s requests to integrate the RSF under the umbrella of the armed forces. In contrast, the army perceived the RSF’s movements as a rebellion against the state.
Efforts from Arab, African, and international mediators to instigate a ceasefire have taken place. However, these mediation attempts have yet to achieve a lasting halt to the ongoing hostilities.
