UN Warns of 'Intensified Hostilities' in Sudan as RSF Accepts Truce Plan — Civilians at Risk

The United Nations on Friday warned of 'intensified hostilities' looming across Sudan even after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said they had accepted a truce proposal from international mediators. The UN cautioned that developments on the ground point to preparations for renewed fighting that would further endanger civilians already suffering from more than two years of conflict.

'There is no sign of de-escalation,' UN human rights chief Volker Türk said. 'Developments on the ground indicate clear preparations for intensified hostilities, with everything that implies for its long-suffering people.'

Key developments

On Thursday the RSF announced it had accepted a ceasefire plan put forward by the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. The Sudanese government and the regular army had not immediately responded to the mediators' proposal. Meanwhile, explosions were reported in army-held Khartoum and in Atbara on Friday.

Human toll and displacement

The war, which began in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced nearly 12 million and triggered a severe hunger crisis. Less than two weeks ago the RSF seized El-Fasher, the army's last major stronghold in Darfur, giving the paramilitary group control of all five state capitals in the region and parts of the south.

Allegations of atrocities and blocked escapes

El-Fasher's capture has been followed by reports of mass killings, sexual violence and looting that drew international condemnation. Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL) said satellite imagery showed the RSF had blocked a key civilian escape route from the city, and analysts reported suspected mass graves in areas identified by the imagery.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said the fate of hundreds of thousands still in or around El-Fasher is unknown. According to UN figures, roughly 70,000 people have fled to nearby towns such as Tawila from a city that previously hosted about 260,000 residents. 'Our main concern is that though we have seen approximately 5,000 people coming out of El-Fasher towards Tawila, we don't know where the other hundreds of thousands have gone,' said newly elected MSF president Javid Abdelmoneim.

Kordofan crisis

There are growing fears of further atrocities as fighting shifts toward the oil-rich Kordofan region. In South Kordofan, a medical source told AFP that RSF forces shelled a hospital in besieged Dilling, killing five people and wounding five more; the Sudan Doctors' Union said the attack destroyed the facility's radiology department. Dilling has been besieged since June 2023.

The Rome-based Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that Dilling is now at risk of famine, while the capital of South Kordofan, Kadugli, was already facing famine conditions.

Khartoum and drone attacks

Khartoum has seen intermittent explosions despite relative calm earlier this year after the army regained control of much of the capital. Residents in Omdurman reported being woken by blasts near military bases; others described drones heard before strikes that caused power outages. In Atbara, witnesses reported that anti-aircraft defences shot down several drones before dawn, triggering fires and explosions. There were no immediate independent confirmations of casualties from those incidents.

Diplomacy and skepticism

No full details of the mediators' ceasefire proposal have been published. A senior Saudi official told AFP the plan envisages a three-month truce during which both sides would be encouraged to meet in Jeddah to negotiate a longer-term peace deal. Analysts remain skeptical: Cameron Hudson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said the RSF announcement 'aims to distract from the atrocities... in El-Fasher and portray itself as more responsible than the army.' The Sudanese army had not formally accepted the plan as of Friday.

International involvement

The UN has accused the UAE of supplying arms to the RSF, an allegation the UAE rejects. Observers also say the Sudanese army has received support from countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran, complicating mediation efforts and regional dynamics.

The situation remains volatile and dangerous for civilians: humanitarian access is limited, large populations have been displaced, and several areas face acute food insecurity. The prospect of an agreed pause in fighting exists on paper, but the violence on the ground and continued attacks underscore the fragility of any truce.