Guterres Calls for Accountability for Countries Fueling Sudan’s War

UNITED NATIONS — UN Secretary-General António Guterres says countries supplying weapons used to attack Sudanese civilians should be held accountable, intensifying pressure on the foreign networks helping to sustain the war.

Sudan’s conflict began in April 2023 as a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. It has since developed into one of the world’s gravest humanitarian emergencies, displacing more than 14 million people.

A UN fact-finding mission says outside support—including weapons, technology, fighters and logistical networks—has allowed the warring parties to continue operations and expand their ability to strike civilian areas.

A war sustained from outside

International attention often focuses on battlefield advances and failed ceasefires inside Sudan. Guterres’ warning shifts part of the responsibility toward the governments and commercial networks that keep arms and resources moving into the conflict.

Foreign military support can make negotiations harder by giving each side confidence that it can improve its position through force. It also weakens the impact of diplomatic pressure when external actors publicly support peace while private supply routes remain active.

The civilian cost

Millions of Sudanese people have been forced from their homes, both within the country and across neighbouring borders. Communities face hunger, disrupted healthcare, attacks on civilian infrastructure and shrinking access for humanitarian organisations.

Why it matters: Sudan’s war is not only an internal power struggle. Accountability for external suppliers would recognise that foreign decisions are extending the conflict and increasing civilian harm. The challenge is turning that recognition into enforceable action.

Sources: Reuters, UNHCR and UN fact-finding reporting. Featured image: Fahmo Mohammed / International Rescue Committee.