UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed concern over the continuous influx of weapons and fighters into Sudan, which is entrenching a civil war that is nearing its third year.
The conflict, which erupted on 15 April 2023, has resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities, driven parts of Sudan into famine, and divided the nation into territories controlled by warlords.
“The external support and flow of weapons must cease,” Mr. Guterres stated in a release made a day prior to the third anniversary of the conflict involving Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, without specifying any particular nation.
“Those with the most influence over the parties involved must utilize it to improve the lives of the Sudanese people—not to prolong this calamity,” added Mr. Guterres.
In early 2024, UN experts tasked with monitoring sanctions against Sudan reported violations of the arms embargo, indicating that a supply route exists from Abu Dhabi to Darfur in western Sudan, passing through Chad.
However, in their latest report earlier this year, the experts noted that they could not verify actual military material transfers along this route from Chad to Darfur.
They did assert that arms had entered from Libya, although they could not determine the source.
The UN experts further reported that fighters had been enlisted from neighboring nations such as Chad, Libya, and the Central African Republic and transported to South Sudan.
Since the conflict began, tens of thousands have been displaced.
They also mentioned credible allegations of Colombian mercenaries engaging alongside the paramilitary forces in Sudan.
“The only method to guarantee the safety of civilians is to bring an end to this senseless conflict,” Mr. Guterres stated.
Meanwhile, UNICEF reported a staggering 1,000% increase in significant violations against children in Sudan, including killings and abductions, amid two years of civil war, urging for greater global awareness.
The UN children’s agency indicated that such incidents—which also encompass maiming and assaults on schools and hospitals—were previously restricted to a limited number of regions.
However, the ongoing conflict has caused these occurrences to spread to additional areas.
“Two years of violence and displacement have devastated the lives of millions of children across Sudan,” commented UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell in a statement.
“The number of serious violations against children has surged by 1,000% over two years,” the statement highlighted.
For instance, verified cases of children killed or injured escalated drastically from 150 in 2022 to an estimated 2,776 across 2023 and 2024, according to figures shared with AFP by UNICEF, which are likely understated.
People who fled the Zamzam camp for internally displaced individuals after it came under the control of the RSF are waiting in line for food rations in a makeshift encampment in an open field near Tawila in western Darfur.
Incidents of attacks on schools and hospitals have also risen, from 33 verified cases in 2022 to approximately 181 in the last two years.
Additionally, the number of children requiring humanitarian assistance has doubled in two years, increasing from 7.8 million at the beginning of 2023 to over 15 million today, according to UNICEF.
“Sudan is currently the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, yet it is not receiving the attention it deserves,” Ms. Russell remarked, stating, “we cannot abandon the children of Sudan.”
“We possess the expertise and determination to enhance our support, but we require access and continuous funding,” she emphasized.
Famine has been declared in at least five locations, including the Zamzam displacement camp in Darfur, which is now under RSF control.
With the onset of the rainy season and the potential for flooding, the situation in Sudan may deteriorate further. UNICEF warns that this year’s rainy season could lead to severe acute malnutrition in 462,000 children.
