The deputy spokesman for Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday said the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that escalating violence continues to endanger civilians across multiple regions in Sudan, with drone attacks and clashes spreading beyond Darfur into other states.
Farhan Haq, who was briefing the media in New York, said the situation in El Fasher, the besieged state capital of North Darfur, remains catastrophic.
“Heavy clashes and drone attacks were reported on Tuesday and yesterday (Wednesday) across the city and in Korma, a town 80 kilometres away, marking one of the most intense escalations in recent days,” he said. “Elsewhere in Sudan, the use of aerial weapons in densely populated areas in recent days has heightened concerns for civilian safety and further strained essential services.”
“Since Tuesday, multiple incidents have been reported across the states of Khartoum, Blue Nile, North Kordofan, and Sennar,” Haq added.
He said that on Thursday, there were reports of drone attacks on the airport in Khartoum for a third consecutive day, impacting its reopening after more than two years of closure.
“Meanwhile, other attacks in the cities of Sennar, Damazine, and El Obeid triggered widespread power outages,” Haq said. “In South Darfur State, insecurity remains high in the capital, Nyala, where reports of drone attacks continue. We and our partners are closely monitoring the situation.”
He stated that OCHA reiterates that civilians must be protected, essential infrastructure must never be targeted, and safe humanitarian access must be ensured.
“All parties must immediately halt hostilities and uphold international humanitarian law,” Haq concluded.