UN chief António Guterres called on Lt. General Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo to act responsibly and immediately order a halt to the RSF attack, Mr. Dujarric said in a statement.

“It is unconscionable that the warring parties have repeatedly ignored calls for a cessation of hostilities,” he said. “Any further escalation will also threaten to spread the conflict along intercommunal lines throughout Darfur.”

Sudan has been embroiled in a conflict between the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces since April 2023. The war has displaced millions and left parts of the country plagued by famine and critical shortages of lifesaving aid.

“The Secretary-General underscores that a ceasefire is not only necessary, but is an urgent imperative, both in El Fasher and across all other conflict zones in Sudan,” the UN Spokesperson said.

“The humanitarian situation in this area is already catastrophic, with hundreds of thousands of people in acute need,” he continued.

The parties to the conflict have clear obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians, and attacks must not be directed against them or civilian infrastructure and constant care must be taken to spare them, he added.

“The Secretary-General recalls that his Special Envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, continues his efforts to advance peace,” Mr. Dujarric said. “He stands ready to support genuine efforts to halt this violence and move toward peace.”

He said humanitarian organizations also stand ready to rapidly scale up assistance in El Fasher and other areas of need across Sudan.