Sudan’s Civilians in Dire Need of Protection as Conflict Escalates
The United Nations and African Union member states are being urged to deploy a mission to protect civilians in Sudan, where a brutal armed conflict has left millions displaced and facing famine. The call to action comes as the conflict escalates, with civilians caught in the crossfire and facing deliberate attacks, torture, and widespread sexual violence.
According to a report by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the recent fighting in Sudan’s capital Khartoum and El Gezira state has placed civilians at massive risk of death and injury from explosive weapons used by both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). Guterres is pressing both parties to stop committing atrocities and is calling for greater support to local responders and international investigations.
The report also highlights the need to cut off arms flows to the warring parties, with Human Rights Watch revealing that both sides have acquired new weapons and military equipment from companies registered in China, Iran, Russia, Serbia, and the UAE. Guterres describes the calls from Sudanese civilians and local and international human rights groups for a physical protection mission as "indicative of the gravity and urgency of the situation facing civilians."
Despite the urgency of the situation, Guterres’ report notes that conditions are not yet in place for a successful UN deployment. However, waiting for ceasefire negotiations to bear fruit or ideal conditions is not an option. As the former president of Malawi, Joyce Banda, wrote, "the scale of Sudan’s crisis, the intransigence of the warring parties, and the clear and consistent demands from Sudanese civilians and civil society demand that we take action."
The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan has also called for the deployment of a mission to protect civilians, which could bolster other protection measures recommended by Guterres. The Security Council is being urged to immediately expand the existing UN arms embargo on Darfur to cover the entire country, impose sanctions on those responsible for atrocities, and make clear that they will be held to account.
The international community can no longer neglect the suffering of Sudanese civilians. The time for action is now, and the UN and African Union member states must take immediate steps to protect those caught in the conflict. As Louis Charbonneau, United Nations Director, emphasizes, "the international neglect of the suffering of Sudanese civilians needs to end."