Sudan conflict: UN calls for ceasefire amid intensifying violence and political deadlock

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has renewed calls for an immediate ceasefire in Sudan, warning that civilians face “imminent” risk as fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensifies. The conflict has displaced over six million people internally and forced another 4.5 million to flee the country.

A report from independent investigators highlighted the increasing use of long-range drones by both sides to strike civilian targets, including markets, hospitals, and fuel stations. The report also noted alleged regional involvement from entities in the United Arab Emirates, Chad, southeastern Libya, and Somalia.

In a separate development regarding political dialogue, Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan claimed that RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo expressed interest in attending a planned political gathering in Khartoum. However, the RSF-aligned Sudan Founding Alliance (TASIS) has rejected the initiative, accusing Burhan of attempting to control the agenda and venue to legitimize military rule rather than facilitate an independent peace process.