April 20, 2024 (NEW YORK) –   A year after conflict broke out in Sudan, the humanitarian situation in the country is worsening while the outlook for its people is “bleak”, Edem Wosornu, the Director of Operations and Advocacy at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.

She was briefing the UN Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Sudan.

According to the UN official, extremely concerning levels of conflict-related sexual violence continue to be reported, and aid workers, health workers and local volunteers are being killed, injured, harassed and arrested with impunity.

The report presented to the Security Council highlights the spiraling violence in recent weeks which, she said, poses an extreme and immediate danger to the 800,000 civilians who reside in El Fasher and risks triggering further clashes in other parts of Darfur, where more than 9 million people are in dire need of assistance.

“We reiterate our demand that the parties to the conflict respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. Sexual violence and other inhumane treatment is strictly prohibited,” said Wosornu.

“The parties must take constant care to spare civilians and civilian objects,” she added, urging the parties to immediately stop the violence around El Fasher and the country.

The official reminded the Council of its warnings about the catastrophic impact an attack on El Fasher would have on the civilian population seven months ago.