The United Kingdom is deeply concerned by developments in and around El Obeid, and the immediate and escalating risks they pose to the civilian population.
I will make three points.
First, civilians must be protected and able to leave El Obeid, as called for by this Council on June 20.
The Rapid Support Forces must halt their assault, and civilians must be able to leave.
And all parties, including the Sudanese Armed Forces, should ensure that they are able to do so.
All parties must comply fully with their obligations under international law to protect civilians.
We are deeply concerned at the risk of large-scale atrocities.
Civilians face increasing constraints on movement, deteriorating access to essential services, and the threat of intensified violence, including from continued drone strikes and attacks on critical infrastructure.
As my Foreign Secretary has made clear, El Obeid is on the precipice of an atrocity that would deepen the wounds already inflicted on Sudan in El Fasher.
All parties must act now to prevent further harm to civilians.
Second, humanitarian actors need to be able to operate safely and without obstruction.
All parties must facilitate rapid, safe, and unhindered humanitarian access, and provide the security guarantees needed for humanitarians to deliver lifesaving assistance.
Attacks on humanitarian personnel are unacceptable.
Without urgent action, those able to leave the city will not be able to access the aid they need.
And finally, this conflict cannot be resolved by military means.
Developments in El Obeid underscore the urgent need to halt the fighting and create space for a political pathway.
We support efforts towards a humanitarian truce as the most credible route to reducing harm and enabling progress.
We commend US leadership and Senior Advisor Boulos’s tireless efforts on this, as well as the work of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General, Mr Haavisto, to support de-escalation.
External support continues to sustain this conflict.
And we call on those fuelling the conflict to cease, and those with influence must exercise it now to avoid further bloodshed.
The suffering of the Sudanese people cannot continue.