United Nations and several human rights organizations are calling for an immediate end to the ongoing violence as Sudan approaches the second anniversary of its civil war.

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This appeal comes as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensify their attacks in the Darfur region, where dozens of people have been killed in recent days.

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Ahead of a high-level meeting in London on Tuesday—where delegates from multiple countries will gather to discuss ways to resolve the crisis—Human Rights Watch is urging world leaders to take swift action. The organization is calling for strong efforts to protect civilians and ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need without obstruction.

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“For the last two years, Sudan’s warring parties have subjected the population to horrific abuses and suffering, and blocked aid, plunging the country into the world’s worst humanitarian disasters,” Mohamed Osman, Sudan researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement on Monday.

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“International leaders should ensure that discussions to improve the humanitarian situation go hand in hand with commitments at the highest level to protect civilians.”

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This week marks two years since fighting erupted between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese military on April 15, 2023. The conflict has resulted in the deaths of thousands and displaced nearly 13 million people, as reported by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Additionally, the war has triggered severe hunger in some parts of Sudan.

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Recently, the Sudanese army succeeded in driving RSF troops out of Khartoum, the capital. However, the RSF claims to have made gains in Darfur, an area already struggling with a worsening humanitarian crisis.

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On Sunday, the RSF announced that they had seized the Zamzam camp near El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur province. According to the United Nations, the attack killed many, including 23 children and nine humanitarian workers.

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The situation remains dire for those affected by the ongoing conflict.

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‘Thousands of displaced trapped and cut off from aid’

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The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Monday that the fighting near el-Fasher, which has been under an RSF blockade, is hampering access to humanitarian assistance.

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“Thousands of displaced people are trapped & cut off from aid,” OCHA Sudan said in a social media post.

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“Hostilities must stop now. All those engaged in the conflict must ensure safe passage for civilians and humanitarian access.”

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had condemned the attacks on civilians in and around el-Fasher, urging an end to the fighting.

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“The Secretary-General emphasizes that attacks directed against civilians and indiscriminate attacks are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law,” Guterres said in a statement issued via his spokesperson on Sunday.

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“Humanitarian relief personnel and medical personnel must be respected and protected. The perpetrators of these attacks must be brought to justice. Safe, unhindered and sustained access to the area, including the Zamzam camp, is urgently needed. Civilians who want to leave must be allowed to do so safely.”

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In a joint statement on Monday, Egypt and Qatar also expressed “grave concerns over the ongoing armed conflict in the Sudan and emphasized the importance of an immediate cessation of military operations”.

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Warring rival generals

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But the violence continued on Monday. Al Jazeera Arabic quoted local sources in reporting that RSF fighters were shelling the Abu Shouk camp for displaced people outside el-Fasher.

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Sudan has seen growing instability since longtime President Omar al-Bashir was removed from power in 2019 after months of antigovernment protests.

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In October 2021, the Sudanese military staged a coup against the civilian government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, leading to his resignation in early 2022.

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Sudan’s army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and his rival general Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who leads the RSF, shared power after the coup but then started fighting for control of the state and its resources in April 2023.

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Davis Makori, humanitarian policy and advocacy specialist, highlighted the impact of the war on children – including psychological trauma, gender-based violence and inability to attend school – saying minors make up half of the civilians affected by the conflict.

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“While there are pockets of states in Sudan that are not actually active conflict zones, this humanitarian crisis has spread to almost every facet of life,” Makori told Al Jazeera.

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