UN chief António Guterres called on Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo to act responsibly and immediately end the RSF attack, Mr. Dujarric said in a statement.
“It is unacceptable that the warring parties have ignored repeated calls for a cessation of hostilities,” he said. “Any further escalation will also threaten to spread the conflict along intercommunal lines throughout Darfur.”
Sudan has been embroiled in a conflict between the RSF and Sudanese forces since April 2023. The war has displaced millions of people and left parts of the country facing famine and severe shortages of life-saving aid.
“The Secretary-General stresses that a ceasefire is not only necessary, but an urgent necessity, both in El Fasher and in all other conflict areas in Sudan,” the UN spokesman said.
“The humanitarian situation in this area is already catastrophic, with hundreds of thousands of people in acute need,” he continued.
Parties to the conflict have clear obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians. Attacks must not target civilians or civilian infrastructure, and constant care must be taken to spare them, he added.
“The Secretary-General recalls that his Special Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, continues his efforts to promote peace,” Mr. Dujarric said. “He stands ready to support real efforts to end this violence and move toward peace.”
He said humanitarian organizations also stand ready to quickly scale up aid in El Fasher and other needy areas in Sudan.