UNITED NATIONS, April 11 (Xinhua) -- The UN Fact-Finding Mission in Sudan reports that nearly a year of fighting in the country has left thousands of civilians dead and millions more displaced, a UN spokesman said on Thursday.
"It said that fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed thousands of civilians since it began in April last year," said Stephane Dujarric, chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
"Over 6 million people have been displaced internally, while almost 2 million refugees have fled to neighboring countries. Nearly 24 million people need aid," said the spokesman.
Monday, April 15, marks the widespread conflict's first anniversary.
Dujarric said France, Germany and the European Union will co-host a Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and its Neighbors in Paris on Monday.
He said Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya will attend alongside other UN officials and advocate for scaled-up resources to expand aid operations in Sudan and the region. She will also advocate for improved humanitarian access so that agencies can ensure the timely delivery of life-saving supplies to communities in need.
The spokesman said the secretary-general will have a video message for the conference.
Sudan has been engulfed in violent clashes between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023. The violence has killed thousands of civilians, displaced millions more, and destroyed much of the country's infrastructure, especially in the capital of Khartoum. ■