Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) in Sudan, Volker Perthes, has stressed the need to immediately stop all military actions and mobilisations to alleviate the suffering of the affected population. He called on the warring parties to return to dialogue to resolve their differences.
The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) expressed concerns about the recent increased level of violence in the states of South Kordofan and West Kordofan, which had avoided large-scale military confrontations in populated areas over the past months.
In a statement, the UNMIS referred to reports that parts of Kadugli, the capital of South Kordofan state, were shelled by the Sudan People’s Liberation movement recently, followed by heavy shelling and armed clashes between the movement and the Sudanese Armed Forces, which led to the displacement of local residents and civilian casualties.
The UNMIS said that the city of El-Fula is in a state of turmoil due to the escalation of fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Government offices and banks, as well as the offices of the UN and non-governmental organizations were looted, but the fighting stopped and calm returned to the city thanks to the efforts of local tribal leaders.
The mission appealed to all military parties to refrain from actions that could aggravate the conflict and ensure the protection of the civilian population and infrastructure.
The UNMIS also stressed the need to encourage and support peaceful initiatives by local leaders, similar to what happened in El-Fula.
