HAMILTON, Canada 

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday issued a warning about growing "suffering" in Sudan, saying that people in the conflict-torn country are "living through a nightmare of violence."

"18 months have passed since brutal fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF)," Guterres told a UN Security Council session on Sudan, adding that the "suffering is growing by the day" with almost 25 million people in need of aid.

Highlighting the dire toll the conflict has taken on civilians, Guterres said: "The people of Sudan are living through a nightmare of violence — with thousands of civilians killed, and countless others facing unspeakable atrocities, including widespread rape and sexual assaults."

He noted the "shocking reports of mass killings and sexual violence" in eastern Sudan's villages, and stressed the need for immediate intervention.

"They are also enduring a nightmare of hunger — as more than 750,000 people face catastrophic food insecurity and famine conditions take hold in displacement sites in North Darfur, while millions struggle to feed themselves every day," he added.

Guterres also warned that the ongoing conflict in Sudan is exacerbated by outbreaks of "cholera, malaria, dengue fever, measles and rubella," spreading unchecked in the face of a "collapsed infrastructure," with Sudan’s health, sanitation, and transportation systems grinding to a halt.

'Nightmare of mass ethnic violence'

Stating that massive displacement crisis has erupted in Sudan, Guterres said "more than 11 million people" fled the country since April last year.

"Sudan is, once again, rapidly becoming a nightmare of mass ethnic violence, in particular with the dramatic escalation of fighting in El Fasher," he said.

The UN chief further called for an immediate action, emphasizing three immediate priorities in which included; an end to hostilities, protection for civilians, and unimpeded humanitarian aid.

He underscored the need for "rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access" through all possible routes, calling for decisive action "for peace for the people of Sudan."

Guterres emphasized the significance of Security Council resolution 2736 in 2024, which was adopted early 2024, that urged an end to the military confrontation.

Sudan has been mired by fighting between the army and the RSF since April 2023, with at least 12,260 people having been killed and more than 33,000 injured in the conflict, according to UN figures.

A humanitarian crisis continues to worsen as nearly 6.8 million people have fled their homes seeking safety in Sudan or neighboring countries.

Several cease-fire agreements brokered by Saudi Arabia and US mediators have failed to end the violence.