Security Council pushes for ceasefire as Sudan faces humanitarian crisis

The UN Security Council is set to vote on Monday on a resolution calling for an immediate halt to hostilities in Sudan, in a renewed effort to pressure the country’s two rival generals as the conflict shows no signs of abating.

The draft resolution urges the warring parties to "immediately cease hostilities and engage in good faith dialogue to take steps towards de-escalation, with the aim of urgently agreeing to a nationwide ceasefire."

Sudan has been embroiled in war since April 2023, pitting the regular army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group commanded by his former deputy, General Mohammad Hamdane Dagalo. General Burhan rose to power following a coup in 2021, but the alliance between the two leaders fractured, plunging the country into chaos.

The conflict has already claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 11 million people, including 3.1 million who have fled the country, according to the UN. In recent weeks, violence has escalated further, with both sides reportedly believing they can achieve victory on the battlefield, said Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs.