The U.N. Security Council has rebuked Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for attempting to form a breakaway administration in territory it controls, warning the move could further tear the country apart and intensify its civil war.
In a statement on Wednesday, the council “unequivocally reaffirmed” its commitment to Sudan’s sovereignty, unity, and independence, cautioning that any action undermining these principles “threaten not only the future of Sudan but also the peace and stability of the broader region.”
Council members stressed that the RSF’s announcement risks “fragmenting the country and worsening an already dire humanitarian situation.”
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Sudan has been locked in conflict since April 2023, when long-standing friction between the military and RSF leaders erupted into open fighting in Khartoum and quickly spread to Darfur and beyond. The toll has been staggering, U.N. agencies estimate some 40,000 dead, nearly 13 million displaced, and millions pushed toward famine.
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The RSF declared in late June that it had set up a parallel government, primarily in Darfur, where most regional capitals are under its control except for el-Fasher in North Darfur. The International Criminal Court’s deputy prosecutor warned last month that war crimes and crimes against humanity are being committed in the region.
The Security Council reiterated that the only viable path forward is for both warring parties to resume negotiations, agree to a durable ceasefire, and lay the groundwork for a civilian-led transition culminating in democratic elections.
Members also referred to last year’s resolution demanding the RSF lift its siege on el-Fasher, a city where famine and extreme food shortages are poised to spread. They voiced “grave concern” over reports of fresh RSF offensives on the besieged area.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric noted that famine was declared a year ago in North Darfur’s Zamzam displacement camp and has since spread risk to 17 other locations in Darfur and the adjacent Kordofan region.
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The World Food Program is urgently calling for humanitarian access to el-Fasher, where people face starvation.
“As a coping mechanism, some residents of the area are reportedly surviving on animal fodder and food waste,” Dujarric said in an AP report.
He added that WFP is delivering digital cash to about 250,000 residents to purchase the few remaining market supplies, but the worsening hunger crisis demands immediate scaling up of aid.
Tensions have also deepened between Sudan’s government and the United Arab Emirates. They accused the UAE last month of deploying Colombian mercenaries to fight alongside the RSF, claiming to have “irrefutable evidence” that fighters from Colombia and neighboring countries were funded by Emirati authorities. The UAE’s foreign ministry has firmly denied the charges, stating it “categorically rejects” the allegations and any suggestion it is backing armed groups in Sudan.
Without naming specific states, the Security Council urged all nations “to refrain from external interference which seeks to foment conflict and instability” and instead support diplomatic peace efforts. The body also condemned recent deadly attacks in Kordofan that caused heavy civilian casualties.
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