United Nations: The brutality of the conflict in Sudan knows no bounds, amid enormous civilian suffering

In his briefing to the session, Monday evening, the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Affairs, Khaled Khayari, reported that the conflict was concentrated in the Kordofan region in recent weeks, where the Rapid Support Forces made “significant gains.”

He touched on recent reports that members of the Sudanese Armed Forces withdrew from Babanusa and Heglig to South Sudan, and that forces from South Sudan entered Sudan to protect the oil infrastructure in Heglig.

He warned that recent developments reflect “The increasingly complex nature of the conflict and its expanding regional dimensions. If these developments are not addressed, Sudan’s neighbors may engage in a regional conflict in and around Sudan.”.

Khiari also warned that a particularly worrying feature of the conflict is the increasing use of drones to launch indiscriminate raids by both sides, causing large numbers of civilian casualties.

He pointed out that the continued flow of weapons, which have become more sophisticated and lethal, remains a major driver of the conflict, adding that “Calls to stop these flows were ignored, and no one was held accountable.”.

Consensus document

The Assistant Secretary-General also said that the two parties are still unwilling to reach compromise solutions or reduce escalation, indicating that the two parties, despite “They were able to stop the fighting to preserve oil revenues, but so far they have failed to do the same to protect the population.”

He stressed that preventing further deterioration of the situation and preserving Sudan’s unity and territorial integrity requires rapid and coordinated action. He stated that the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, is communicating with both parties to the conflict to encourage them to engage in discussions on concrete and implementable measures to calm the violence and enhance the protection of civilians in Sudan.

He said that the current focus is on supporting a comprehensive Sudanese dialogue led by the African Union, which would pave the way for a credible and comprehensive civilian-led political transition. He added: “To support these efforts, the Office of the Personal Envoy is preparing a consensus document aimed at compiling visions put forward by political actors and prominent figures in Sudan.”.

He referred to preparations for holding the fifth consultative meeting on enhancing coordination of peace initiatives, which is expected to be held in Cairo in early 2026. At the conclusion of his briefing, he urged the Council to send a clear and unified message, which is that “Everyone who contributes to fueling this war will be held accountable.”

Serious risks

Edem Wasurno, Director of the Operations and Advocacy Section at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that “The brutality of this conflict knows no bounds.”Pointing to the emergence of Kordofan states as a new center of violence and suffering, where attacks caused deaths, injuries and destruction, and severely restricted humanitarian access.

She added in her briefing to the Council: “Over the past year, we have witnessed more atrocities and a greater worsening of the impunity that fuels them.”

She provided figures on the civilian death toll this month, and the ramifications of the escalation on humanitarian work, noting that an inter-agency team led by the Humanitarian Coordinator – which was scheduled to arrive in Kadugli on 15 December – was unable to proceed due to the deteriorating and unstable situation, and the serious security challenges faced by a UN convoy that arrived in Dilling and Kadugli in October.

She said: “The raid was on A World Food Program truck in North Kordofan on 5 December, in which a driver was seriously injured, is further evidence of the grave risks faced by humanitarian workers in much of Sudan.”.

Protection, access and peace

The UN official also explained that “Humanitarian needs remain enormous across Darfur. Efforts to safely reach El Fasher continue, with discussions ongoing regarding the deployment of a team to assess the security situation.”.

She noted that the United Nations continues to receive new reports of serious violations of international humanitarian law committed during and after the Rapid Support Forces took control of El Fasher, including mass killings and sexual violence.

She said: “Humanitarian workers in Tawila, Dabba and other areas are facing difficulty in fully meeting the needs of new arrivals from El Fasher, as resources and capacities are under severe pressure.”.

The call was renewed for action on three tracks:

⬅️ Protection, and in this regard, she called on the Security Council to send a strong, unequivocal message that attacks directed against civilians, indiscriminate attacks, sexual violence, and other flagrant violations of the most basic principles of international humanitarian law will not be tolerated.

⬅️Access, where I requested that humanitarian workers, including local partners who remain at the forefront of collective efforts, be able to carry out their work safely and without interference.

⬅️Peace. In this context, Surno said: “As another grim milestone in this nightmarish war approaches (1,000 days of war), renewed efforts are needed now more than ever to stop the fighting, halt the arms flows that are fueling the conflict, and push the parties towards a much-needed comprehensive and permanent nationwide ceasefire.”.

Government of Sudan Peace Initiative

Sudanese Prime Minister Kamel Idris told the council that “Sudan is facing an existential crisis due to the war.”. He talked about the Sudanese government’s peace initiative, which he said was “It does not stem from an illusion, but from a necessity, and it does not stem from a victory, but from a responsibility.”.

He added that the initiative is based on international principles, “It offers a rich, realistic, workable and comprehensive framework to protect civilians from atrocities, restore state authority and responsibility, and open the door to national reconciliation.”.

He stressed that the initiative came from within. “It is not imposed on us. It is not about winning a war, but about ending the cycle of violence that Sudan has suffered from for decades.”.

Idris spoke in detail about the terms of that initiative, including a ceasefire, the gathering of militia fighters in specific camps, and disarmament, as well as what relates to displaced persons, refugees, and humanitarian aid.

He also touched on “Confidence building measures” To ensure response to the Government of Sudan’s peace initiative, which includes political, economic, security and social aspects.