Guterres: There is an Urgent Need for a Ceasefire in El Fasher to prevent more Atrocities

Sudan Events – Agencies

Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, reiterated his deep concern about the continued fighting in and around El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, and throughout the country, stressing the urgent need for a ceasefire to prevent further atrocities, protect vital infrastructure and alleviate the suffering of civilians.
Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, Farhan Haq, indicated in the daily press conference that Resolution No. 2736, adopted by the Security Council on Thursday, calls for an immediate cessation of fighting and de-escalation in El Fasher and its surroundings, and said that de-escalation could be the first step towards finding a sustainable solution to the conflict.
Farhan Haq warned – according to the UN News Center – that the intensity of the conflict is impeding the delivery of aid, “and therefore we and the Security Council call for a cessation of fighting to allow, among other things, the entry of aid.”
In response to a journalist’s question about what the UN is currently doing in Sudan, and whether it currently has a presence in Darfur, Farhan Haq said that the UN currently has no international relief workers in El Fasher, but said that there are UN staff in Port Sudan and different parts of Sudan, wherever possible.
In a related context, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths warned that the humanitarian nightmare in El Fasher is worsening by the hour.
In a post on social media, Griffiths expressed his hope that the Security Council resolution issued on Thursday would alleviate the suffering of civilians in the city.
Griffiths stressed the need to protect civilians and allow aid to reach them, “and for the fighting to stop now.”