UN chief on Sudan: ‘Silence the guns and raise the volume for peace’

By Merve Aydogan

TORONTO, Canada (AA) - The UN chief urged Sudanese on Thursday “to silence the guns and raise the volume for peace.”

Antonio Guterres noted at a Security Council meeting concerning Sudan that next month will mark one year since the conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led to thousands of killings, displacement and shortage of food and other essentials.

The "conflict has taken a devastating toll on the people of Sudan,” he said. "There is now a serious risk that the conflict could ignite regional instability of dramatic proportions, from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea."

He said everyone in Sudan should “honor the values of Ramadan by honoring a Ramadan cessation of hostilities” and that it “must lead to a definitive silencing of the guns across the country, and set out a firm path towards lasting peace for the Sudanese people."

Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is scheduled to begin Sunday.

The UN chief stressed that the "humanitarian crisis in Sudan is reaching colossal proportions," and at least 25 million people need life-saving aid.

"Over 14,000 people have been killed, although that number is likely far higher," he said, adding that 6.3 million have been internally displaced since the beginning of the conflict.

"Another 1.7 million people have fled to neighboring countries," he said.

Guterres said infrastructure in Sudan is destroyed and basic services are halted with more than 70% of health facilities in conflict-affected areas not functional.

With millions of children out of school, Guterres stressed "water and sanitation systems are breaking down. Diseases are multiplying. Hunger is stalking Sudan. Some 18 million people are acutely food insecure."

Urging authorities to implement the Jeddah Declaration, Guterres encouraged officials "to continue efforts to facilitate humanitarian access, including across conflict lines."

"The Jeddah platform constitutes a critical and promising forum for dialogue – and African participation remains indispensable," he added.

Sudan has been mired by fighting between the army, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is the head of the ruling Sovereign Council, and the RSF.

At least 12,260 people have been killed and more than 33,000 injured in the conflict that started last April, according to UN figures.

A humanitarian crisis continues to worsen as nearly 6.8 million people have fled their homes seeking safety in Sudan or neighboring countries.

Several cease-fire agreements brokered by Saudi Arabia and US mediators have failed to end the violence.