The UN chief warned on Tuesday that Sudan’s civil war is “spiraling out of control” after militias seized control of the Darfur city of El Fasher.
Speaking at a United Nations summit in Qatar, Antonio Guterres issued a stark warning about El Fasher and called for an immediate ceasefire in the two-year conflict, which has become one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
“Hundreds of thousands of civilians are trapped in this siege,” Guterres said. “People are dying from malnutrition, disease and violence, and reports of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights continue.”
He added: “There are also credible reports of widespread executions since rapid support forces entered the city.”
U.N. officials have warned of an insurgency by the paramilitary Rapid Support Force that has taken control of the city of El Fasher, reportedly killing more than 450 people in hospitals and carrying out ethnically targeted killings and sexual assaults of civilians.
RSF denies the atrocities, but testimonies from those on the run, online videos and satellite images offer an apocalyptic vision of the aftermath of their attacks. The full extent of the violence remains unclear due to poor communications in the region.
RSF besieged El Fasher for 18 months, cutting off much of the food and other supplies needed by tens of thousands of people. Last week, paramilitary groups took over the city.
Asked whether he thought there was a role for international peacekeeping forces in Sudan, Guterres said it was important to “bring together the entire international community and all those who have influence over Sudan to stop the fighting.”
“One of the essential things to stop the fighting is to ensure that no more weapons are brought into Sudan,” he said. “The crimes that are being committed are so horrific that we need to create accountability mechanisms.”
A war between the RSF and the Sudanese army has been tearing Sudan apart since April 2023. United Nations figures put the death toll at more than 40,000, but aid groups say the real death toll could be many times higher. The fighting has displaced more than 14 million people and accelerated the spread of the disease. Meanwhile, hunger is rampant in two war-torn parts of Sudan, and there are fears it could spread.
“It is clear that we need a ceasefire in Sudan,” Guterres said. “This absolutely unacceptable genocide must stop.”
