Vibhu Mishra / UN NEWS
The war in Sudan is entering a deadlier phase, the United Nations has warned, as intensified fighting in the Kordofan region, mounting civilian casualties from drone strikes and growing risks of regional spillover push the conflict toward the 1,000-day mark.
Briefing the Security Council on Monday, senior UN political and humanitarian officials described a sharply deteriorating security and humanitarian situation marked by indiscriminate attacks, expanding territorial gains by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), and escalating dangers for civilians, aid workers and peacekeepers.
The conflict erupted in April 2023 amid a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. Since then, fighting has spread nationwide, devastating cities, displacing millions and pushing parts of the country – including areas of Darfur – into famine conditions.
Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Khaled Khiari said fears that the dry season would bring intensified fighting had been confirmed.
“Each passing day brings staggering levels of violence and destruction,” Mr. Khiari told ambassadors. “Civilians are enduring immense, unimaginable suffering, with no end in sight.”
Kordofan emerges as new flashpoint
In recent weeks, the conflict has centred on the Kordofan region, where the RSF has made significant territorial gains, capturing Babanusa in West Kordofan on 1 December, followed a week later by the seizure of Heglig in South Kordofan – a key oil field and processing hub for South Sudanese crude exports.
Kadugli and Dilling, both in South Kordofan, are now under tightening siege conditions, with shelling and drone strikes continuing. Reports indicate that SAF personnel withdrew from some areas into South Sudan, while South Sudanese forces moved into Sudan to protect the Heglig oil infrastructure.
“These developments reflect the increasingly complex nature of the conflict and its expanding regional dimensions,” Mr. Khiari warned, cautioning that Sudan’s neighbours could be drawn into a wider war if the situation remains unaddressed.Broadcast of the Security Council meeting.
Deadly drone strikes, peacekeepers killed
A particularly alarming trend, UN officials said, is the growing use of drones by both sides. On 4 December, a kindergarten in in Kalogi, South Kordofan was struck, followed by an attack on the hospital treating the victims.
“More than 100 people were killed in this despicable attack, including 63 children,” Mr. Khiari said.
Drone attacks have also directly targeted UN personnel. On 13 December, strikes hit a UN logistics base in Kadugli, killing six Bangladeshi peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and injuring nine others.
UNISFA has launched an investigation under difficult security conditions, while all UN personnel have been evacuated from Kadugli until further notice. Mr. Khiari stressed that attacks against peacekeepers “may constitute war crimes” and demanded accountability.