A senior United Nations official warned on Friday that the opportunity to prevent a major escalation in the Sudanese city of El Obeid is "rapidly narrowing" as fighting intensifies in and around the North Kordofan state capital.
Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacekeeping Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo briefed the Security Council on latest developments in the ongoing war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and former allies the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), now in its fourth year.
Over the past two weeks, drone attacks by the parties have increased significantly in El Obeid, while the RSF have expanded their presence in and around the city.
Appeal for restraint
She recalled that UN human rights chief Volker Türk issued a stark warning that an offensive would lead to "impending human rights disaster".
Escalation would put hundreds of thousands of civilians at immediate risk of large-scale violence, she said, adding that a full-scale battle would trigger new displacement to areas that were already overstretched.
"Once again, we call for restraint from all parties and urge them to take all necessary measures to respect and protect civilians," she said.
"The window to avert a wider escalation in El Obeid is rapidly narrowing."
Fighting in other regions
Beyond El Obeid, the conflict continues across multiple fronts.
The wider Kordofan region remains the epicentre, with intensified fighting around Dilling, Kadugli and Babanusa as the parties contest strategic areas. Recent drone strikes on bridges and transport corridors across Darfur and Kordofan have disrupted humanitarian routes and left communities isolated.
The security situation also remains volatile in White Nile and Blue Nile states with continued clashes in Kurmuk, Geissan and Bau localities. Meanwhile, the human cost is mounting.
Drone use, external interference and regional tensions
"The growing use of drones is making the conflict more unpredictable, more geographically dispersed and more lethal for civilians," Ms. DiCarlo said.
While the rainy season has traditionally brought a reduction in fighting, continued drone activity means civilians are unlikely to see any respite.
"The parties could not sustain this pace of fighting without the sophisticated weaponry they obtain through external support," she continued, calling once again for all external actors "to use their influence to help end this war, rather than be complicit in it."
The war is unfolding amid rising tensions between Sudan and neighbouring States.
Ms. DiCarlo recalled that tensions escalated between Sudan and Ethiopia in May following allegations of interference in each other's internal security situations. Relations with Chad also remain strained following clashes earlier this year and continued instability on their shared border.
"These tensions risk becoming drivers of further escalation, drawing neighbouring States more directly into the conflict," she said.
Engagement and consultations
The UN continues to support efforts to reduce violence, including through an initiative by the "Quad" group - comprising the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt - to secure a humanitarian truce, and urges the parties to negotiate in good faith.
She stressed that efforts to achieve a permanent ceasefire must go hand in hand with advancing a sustainable political solution.
Central to that effort is strong partnership among the Quintet - which comprises the African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), the East African bloc IGAD, the League of Arab States and the UN.
The Quintet recently held consultations in Addis Ababa with a broad spectrum of Sudanese civilians. While participants expressed a wide range of views on how a future pollical process should unfold, they endorsed the urgent need for a Sudanese-owned and led political dialogue facilitated by the Quintet.
Meanwhile, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy for Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, has been engaging with the parties and other actors to encourage restraint and help prevent escalation around El Obeid and elsewhere in the country.
Young lives in danger
Hannan Sulieman, Deputy Executive Director of UN child rights agency UNICEF , also briefed the Council. She said Sudan remains the world's largest humanitarian crisis and children are paying the highest price in the conflict.
Addressing the escalation in El Obeid, she noted that some 500,000 civilians are at risk and "children are at immediate and growing danger of being killed, injured, displaced, or exposed to other grave violations."
She warned that the situation has occurred before, pointing to the crisis in El Fasher last year, and "we must not allow history to repeat itself."
Children caught in the crossfire
Ms. Suleiman said the violence children face in Sudan extends far beyond the battlefield.
The UN has verified more than 5,700 grave violations against children since the war began and more than 5,000 have been killed or maimed, although the real figure is likely much higher.
"Children are being killed in their homes. They are being injured while fleeing violence. They are being caught in crossfire, shelling, drone strikes, and attacks using explosive weapons in populated areas," she said.
"During the first four months of this year alone, nearly 80 per cent of reported child casualties were linked to drone attacks."
Ms. Suleiman made four requests to the Council:
First: Immediate action to prevent further escalation, particularly in and around El Obeid
Second: All parties must protect children and the civilian infrastructure they depend upon
Third: Schools, hospitals, water systems, and humanitarian assets must never be targeted.
Four: Help create conditions for peace by calling on the parties to engage with the UN envoy.
"The children of Sudan cannot survive on expressions of concern," she said.
"They have already lost more than three years of their childhood and cannot afford to lose another."
