United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for an immediate ceasefire in the city of El Fasher and its surrounding areas in North Darfur State, Sudan.
In a statement, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that Guterres is shocked by the ongoing attacks by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the capital of North Darfur.
He stated that “El Fasher has been under a tight siege for more than 500 days, with hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in the area.”
The spokesperson stressed that the Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the significant risks of serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including ethnically motivated violations.
Dujarric noted that since August 11, the UN has documented the killing of at least 125 civilians in the El Fasher area, including summary executions, and warned that the actual death toll is likely higher.
The spokesperson added that the UN Secretary-General insists on the urgent need to take immediate steps to protect civilians, ensure safe and sustained delivery of humanitarian aid without obstruction, and allow any civilians wishing to leave the area to do so safely.
