ISTANBUL

Qatar reaffirmed its support for Sudan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity on Friday and rejected any form of foreign interference in the internal affairs of the northeastern African nation.

“The State of Qatar expresses its full support for the unity, independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the sisterly Republic of Sudan,” a Qatari Foreign Ministry statement said.

It added that the Gulf nation “rejects any form of interference in Sudan's internal affairs,” calling on “all parties to prioritize the supreme national interest and to prevent the country from the risk of division.”

The ministry reaffirmed “Qatar's call for an inclusive dialogue that leads to lasting peace, preserves the unity of Sudan, and fulfills the aspirations of its people for security, stability, and development.”

The Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been fighting a war since mid-April 2023 that has killed more than 20,000 people and displaced 14 million, according to the UN and local authorities. Research from US universities, however, estimates the death toll at around 130,000.

Calls by the international community and the UN for an end to the war are mounting, with warnings of an impending humanitarian catastrophe as millions face famine and death due to food shortages. The conflict has spread to 13 of Sudan’s 18 states.