United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an immediate halt to the external flow of weapons into Sudan, warning that continued foreign interference is fuelling the country’s devastating civil war and risking its fragmentation.
Marking the second anniversary of the outbreak of conflict between rival military factions, Guterres stressed that the world must not turn a blind eye to the suffering of the Sudanese people. “I am deeply concerned that weapons and fighters continue to flow into Sudan, allowing the conflict to persist and spread across the country,” he said. “The external support and flow of weapons must end. Those with the greatest influence on the parties must use it to better the lives of people in Sudan — not to perpetuate this disaster.”
The war, which began in April 2023 after a failed transition to civilian rule, has triggered the world’s largest displacement crisis, with tens of millions of people in urgent need of assistance. In the capital, Khartoum, UN teams report widespread destruction of infrastructure, no access to clean water or electricity, and the presence of unexploded ordnance across residential areas.
Luca Renda, the UN Development Programme’s representative in Sudan, described the devastation in Khartoum following a recent assessment visit: “The situation is extremely dire, especially in the areas where the conflict has been intense.”
Meanwhile, in Darfur, the violence has intensified. Over the weekend, at least 400 civilians and 10 medical workers from the NGO Relief International were killed in attacks reportedly carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and affiliated groups at the Zamzam and Abu Shouk camps. The United Nations migration agency (IOM) estimates that up to 400,000 people could flee from Zamzam alone, with many already seeking refuge in El Fasher.
Sexual Violence is Used as a Weapon of War
IOM’s Chief of Mission in Sudan, Mohamed Refaat, recounted harrowing stories from survivors, including women who were subjected to sexual violence in front of their families. “It is the first time in my life I have seen women who have been abused to that extent,” he said.
The use of sexual violence as a weapon of war has become alarmingly widespread. Anna Mutavati, Regional Director for UN Women in East and Southern Africa, said the organization has recorded a 288 percent increase in demand for lifesaving support for rape and sexual violence survivors.
“We are witnessing what increasingly appears to be the systematic use of rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war,” Mutavati told reporters. “Women’s bodies are being turned into battlegrounds in this conflict.”
A UN fact-finding mission previously found “staggering” levels of sexual abuse, with the majority of reported cases attributed to RSF forces and their allies. The mission also noted that victims in army-controlled areas face significant barriers to reporting, further masking the full extent of the crisis.
As the international community convenes in London to coordinate its response to the Sudanese crisis, Sudan’s foreign ministry has criticized the participation of the UAE and Kenya, arguing that Sudan itself should have been given a seat at the table.
Despite these tensions, Guterres reiterated the UN’s call for all parties to uphold international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of civilians. “Sudan’s future must not be determined by weapons and war,” he said. “It must be shaped by peace, justice, and the will of its people.”