Berlin: The Group of Seven nations has called for an immediate end to attacks on civilians in Sudan's city of El Obeid and urged the United Nations Security Council to expand its arms embargo to cover the entire country as the civil war continues to deepen one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
In a joint statement released on Tuesday, the foreign ministers of the G7 countries, along with the European Union's foreign policy chief, expressed grave concern over the worsening violence in El Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan state. The city has become one of the latest flashpoints in the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, with thousands of civilians caught in the middle. The leaders called on all sides to immediately stop attacks, protect civilians and allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need.
The G7 also appealed for an expansion of the United Nations arms embargo, which currently applies mainly to the Darfur region. The group said extending the ban across Sudan would help reduce the flow of weapons that continue to fuel the conflict. It further urged countries and other external actors to stop providing military, financial or logistical support to the warring parties, warning that outside involvement is prolonging the violence and making peace efforts more difficult.
El Obeid has gained increasing strategic importance because it serves as a key transport hub linking central Sudan with the western Darfur region. Aid agencies have warned that continued fighting around the city threatens one of the main routes used to deliver food, medicine and other emergency supplies to millions of people. If the violence continues, humanitarian operations across large parts of western Sudan could face even greater disruption.
The conflict in Sudan began in April 2023 after a power struggle between Sudanese army chief General Abdel Fattah al Burhan and Rapid Support Forces commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, erupted into open warfare. Since then, fighting has spread across much of the country, forcing millions of people to flee their homes and leaving large areas facing severe food shortages, disease outbreaks and the collapse of basic services.
The United Nations estimates that the war has displaced more than 14 million people, while humanitarian organisations continue to warn that famine conditions are worsening in several regions. Aid workers have repeatedly reported that insecurity, road closures and attacks on relief convoys are preventing life saving assistance from reaching vulnerable communities.
International concern has grown sharply in recent weeks as violence around El Obeid intensified. Earlier this month, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk warned that the city was facing a human rights catastrophe. His office reported allegations of summary executions, sexual violence, drone strikes and attacks on civilian infrastructure, raising fears that further mass atrocities could occur if the fighting is not brought under control.
The situation has also prompted urgent discussions at the United Nations Human Rights Council, where several countries called for stronger international action to protect civilians and hold those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law accountable. Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists, have also urged governments to increase diplomatic pressure on both sides and support efforts to protect civilians.
Although the G7 does not have the authority to impose a United Nations arms embargo, its united position is expected to increase diplomatic pressure on members of the Security Council to consider broader restrictions. Analysts say the statement also sends a clear message to countries accused of supplying weapons or other forms of assistance to the rival forces that continued support risks worsening an already devastating conflict.
Despite repeated international mediation efforts over the past three years, ceasefire agreements have repeatedly collapsed, with both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces accusing each other of violating commitments. Peace negotiations have made little progress, while the fighting has expanded beyond Darfur into Kordofan and other regions.
The G7 concluded by urging all parties to respect international humanitarian law, guarantee safe passage for civilians and humanitarian workers, and return to meaningful negotiations aimed at ending the conflict. As the violence continues to spread, international leaders and aid agencies warn that without urgent action, Sudan's humanitarian crisis is likely to become even more severe, placing millions more lives at risk.