The UN secretary-general condemned Saturday’s airstrike in Omdurman, Sudan, which killed 22 people, lamenting the “absolute disregard” for human rights.
“There is an absolute disregard for humanitarian law and human rights that is dangerous and worrying,” he lamented.
António Guterres said he was “shocked” by the escalation of violence and the number of victims in the Sudanese region of Darfur, as well as by the escalation of clashes in North Kordofan, South Kordofan and Blue Nile.
“Deeply concerned” about the situation in Sudan, in particular, and about the stability of the region, in general, the UN representative called on the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (FAR) to ” cease fighting and commit to a lasting cessation of hostilities”.
Along the same lines, Guterres encouraged both parties to comply with their obligations “under international humanitarian law and human rights to protect civilians and enable humanitarian action.”
The conflict that began between the two parties on April 15 has so far caused 1,133 deaths, according to the Sudanese Ministry of Health, but the real figures could be much higher, given the inter-communal violence in the Kordofan and Darfur regions.
More than 2.9 million people have fled the conflict amid reports of daily atrocities and large-scale sexual abuse of women and girls in the country.
Source: TSF
