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The United States is urging an immediate humanitarian truce in Sudan as intense fighting spreads across the strategically important Kordofan region, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning that the ongoing violence is “horrifying” and that those responsible will face enduring condemnation.
Speaking at a year-end news conference on Friday, Rubio said the war in Sudan must come to a halt, stressing that the start of the new year offers a critical opportunity for both sides to agree to a pause in fighting and allow life-saving humanitarian assistance to reach millions of civilians trapped by the conflict. His comments came amid a sharp escalation in violence in Kordofan, where at least 100 civilians have been killed since early December and more than 50,000 people have been forced to flee their homes.
“What’s happening there is horrifying. It’s atrocious,” Rubio said. “One day, the full story of what has actually happened will be known, and everyone involved is going to look bad.”
Washington has stepped up diplomatic efforts in recent weeks following a late-November meeting between President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. US Special Envoy for Sudan Massad Boulos has since returned from discussions with officials in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as part of a broader push to de-escalate the conflict. Rubio said he has also held talks with regional leaders in coordination with the United Kingdom.
The conflict, now entering its third year, pits the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Rubio highlighted the role of external weapons supplies in sustaining the war, arguing that foreign support is a decisive factor prolonging the fighting.
“All these weapons are acquired from abroad,” Rubio said. “They have to come from somewhere else, and they have to come through somewhere else.” He added that outside actors hold significant leverage and must use their influence to pressure both sides into negotiations.
Conflict monitoring groups have accused the United Arab Emirates of providing material support to the RSF through a regional network of intermediaries, allegations Abu Dhabi has consistently denied. The SAF, meanwhile, maintains close ties with TĂĽrkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are also playing roles in mediation efforts aimed at ending the conflict.
Rubio acknowledged that securing a ceasefire remains extremely challenging, noting that both parties have previously agreed to commitments only to violate them shortly afterward—particularly when one side believes it has gained momentum on the battlefield.
“What we’ve emphasised is that none of these groups can operate without the external support they’re receiving,” Rubio said, describing the US role as convening stakeholders and urging foreign backers to use their influence to bring the warring sides to the table.
Fighting Intensifies in Kordofan
While earlier phases of the war were concentrated in Darfur, the heaviest fighting has now shifted eastward into Kordofan. Over the past two days, RSF forces and allied fighters shelled residential neighborhoods in the city of Dilling, killing at least 16 people, including women, elderly residents and children, according to the Sudan Doctors Network.
Attention is increasingly focused on El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan and a vital transportation hub linking routes to South Sudan, eastern Sudan and Darfur. Mohamed Refaat, the International Organization for Migration’s chief of mission in Sudan, warned that more than 500,000 people could be affected if fighting spreads to the city.
The humanitarian toll continues to rise. On December 13, six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed when drones struck their base in Kadugli. The United Nations Security Council on Friday condemned the incident as a “heinous and deliberate” attack, warning that it may constitute war crimes.
The World Health Organization said attacks on medical facilities in Sudan account for more than 80 percent of all such deaths worldwide this year. Since the conflict began in April 2023, the WHO has verified 201 attacks on healthcare facilities, resulting in 1,858 deaths.
In Nyala, the RSF’s self-declared capital of a parallel administration, 64 medical workers remain in detention after nine were released from an initial group of 73, according to the Sudan Doctors Network.
The African Union’s envoy to Sudan this week rejected the establishment of any parallel governing institutions and condemned what he described as systematic RSF attacks against civilians, warning that perpetrators would ultimately be held accountable. Both the SAF and RSF have been accused of committing war crimes, with the RSF also facing allegations of genocide in Darfur, particularly in and around el-Fasher.
Sudan’s war has killed more than 100,000 people and displaced an estimated 14 million, creating what the United Nations has described as the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. As fighting intensifies and diplomatic efforts struggle to gain traction, international pressure is mounting for an immediate pause in hostilities to prevent further catastrophe.
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