NY city: In the midst of ongoing clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and rival militia the Rapid Support Forces in various parts of the country, "neither side has achieved victory or made any significant gains," UN officials said on Wednesday. The people of Sudan continue to endure "unimaginable suffering."

At a Security Council hearing on the situation in the nation, Assistant Secretary-General Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee stated that widespread civilian displacement has been caused by the ongoing violence. A desperate humanitarian crisis is being made worse by both sides' designation of civilian neighbourhoods as "areas of operations" and the escalation of the conflict in key regions, which she expressed concern about.

Pobee added that calls for the protection of civilians and to ensure that human rights and humanitarian law are not violated are ignored as indiscriminate and targeted attacks on infrastructure and civilian targets continue in Khartoum, Darfur, and North Kordofan.

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She claimed that in addition to the rising risk of kidnapping and the killing of human rights advocates in Darfur and Khartoum, widespread sexual violence, the victimisation of children, and the threat of forced recruitment into combat forces all still exist.

Pobee continued by highlighting the "brutal violence" in places like El-Geneina and Sirba and the resurgence of long-simmering ethnic tensions as reasons why the effects of the conflict on the Darfur region are particularly concerning.

The fighting in the Darfur region, she said, "continues to reopen the old wounds of ethnic tensions of past conflicts in the region," and "the parties have exacted tremendous suffering on the people of the region."

This is extremely concerning and could quickly plunge the nation into a protracted ethnic conflict with regional repercussions.

Pobee applauded Chad's recent initiative to bring together Darfur stakeholders and emphasised the importance of broad participation from all parties, including armed groups, tribal leaders, civil society organisations, and women's groups.

She commended efforts by the US, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan's neighbours to mediate the conflict as well as those made by the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development. She emphasised the "vital" significance of regional and international entity coordination for successful mediation.

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Speaking on behalf of the under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, Martin Griffiths, Edem Wosornu, director of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs' Operations and Advocacy Division, painted a bleak picture of the humanitarian catastrophe developing in Sudan, including the displacement of millions of people, pervasive sexual violence, a lack of access to medical care, and severe food insecurity.

She emphasised how crucial it is to fully fund the $2.6 billion Humanitarian Response Plan, which has only received 25% of its intended funding to date, in order to make sure that those in need receive the assistance they require.

Wosornu bemoaned the lack of coverage Sudan received in the international media, saying: "Nearly four months into this conflict, millions of people are still trapped in a humanitarian catastrophe that only gets worse.

"More than 4 million people have now fled their homes, including nearly 900,000 who have crossed into Chad, Egypt, South Sudan, and other nations from within the country.

"The shocking accounts of sexual violence that I heard from people who have fled to Port Sudan are only a small portion of those that are being reported at an alarming rate from conflict hot spots throughout the nation. With 80% of hospitals nationwide not operating, people are finding it increasingly difficult to access urgent medical care.

"14 million children in Sudan—or half of all children in the nation—need humanitarian assistance," Wosornu continued. Over 20 million individuals, or 40% of the population, experience severe acute food insecurity. Living conditions and direct access to markets are being affected by the conflict. Additionally, it is causing sharp increases in commodity prices.

"Public and civil institutions, as well as the banking system, have both been severely disrupted. As a result, there is a significant disruption of public services and a decline in the amount of money flowing through the economy. There are frequent blackouts of electricity. Services for education are halted. It tells the tale of a nation and its people being pushed to the brink of ruin.

According to Wosornu, providing assistance to those in need in Khartoum is still difficult due to the limited local resources and the fact that humanitarian convoys to replenish supplies have not been guaranteed since June.

The current limited deliveries are the result of "intricate negotiations," frequently aided by the Jeddah process, she added. Aid organisations are eager to assist, but they need regular access made possible by the parties to the conflict and the removal of bureaucratic barriers.

In order to negotiate access for humanitarian workers and protect their operations, Wosornu urged the urgent restoration of direct contact with the combatants. He also stated that prompt and extensive assistance "hinges on necessary permits and visas." She pleaded with the Sudanese authorities to speed up this procedure and ease approvals.

The Sudanese government allegedly threatened to expel the UN Mission in Sudan from the nation if Volker Perthes, the special representative of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, participated in the briefing on Wednesday. US permanent representative to the UN Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed grave concern about the allegation.

The Sudanese government has designated Perthes as persona non grata, but the UN has stated that none of its representatives may be given such a status.

Regarding the situation in Darfur, Thomas-Greenfield remarked that it was "beyond horrifying" that "one of the worst chapters of recent history is repeating itself."

"It is the responsibility of the Security Council and the entire international community to demand that the parties uphold their commitments to protect civilians as stipulated by international humanitarian law.

"It is our duty to make sure that those in need of humanitarian aid can receive it. And it is our duty to compel the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces to immediately lay down their weapons.

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She emphasised the US's commitment to efforts to provide humanitarian aid, urged the international community to support the people of Sudan during this crisis, and called for coordinated diplomatic efforts by regional and international actors to help end the conflict.

She emphasised that the Security Council and all of its members needed to take a stand for peace and historical justice at this crucial juncture.

Let's use all of our resources to put an end to the bloodshed. The Sudanese people, not the gunmen who are extending suffering, own the country's political future