In a poignant address to the United Nations Security Council, UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo underscored the dire situation facing civilians in Sudan, attributing the prolongation of conflict to foreign parties supplying weapons. During the session, DiCarlo asserted that “Sudan is trapped in a nightmare” and emphasized the imperative of an immediate ceasefire to protect civilian lives. For more about DiCarlo’s statement, please refer to her address to the Security Council.
Further aligning with these concerns, UN Secretary-General António Guterres released a statement on October 28, condemning the violence inflicted upon Sudanese civilians and reaffirming the necessity of a ceasefire. The full statement can be viewed on the UN press release.
The conflict, which began in April 2023 between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), has already claimed thousands of lives. Details about the situation can be found in this Amnesty International report and further explored through the Council on Foreign Relations global conflict tracker.
The RSF, a parliamentary militia, has a record of perpetrating violence against civilians, particularly sexual violence against women and girls. Recently, they have been involved in a series of attacks in the Al Jazirah state, as reported by the UN News. On the other hand, the SAF, representing the official military of Sudan, has similarly faced scrutiny for its role in civilian attacks and arm acquisitions, as noted in this UN report.
In response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis, global entities and governments have been mobilizing efforts to safeguard the rights of Sudanese civilians. Amnesty International has urged the UN to enforce an arms embargo against Sudan to alleviate the violence. Additionally, the United States has instituted sanctions against the SAF Procurement Director for his contributions to the conflict escalation.
For more extensive coverage on the evolving situation in Sudan, visit the full article on JURIST.