UN: A call for a humanitarian pause in Sudan.

Sky world news /UN: A call for a humanitarian pause in Sudan. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres spoke to correspondents in New York on Friday, April 20, 2023, about the crisis in Sudan, calling for an immediate cessation of fighting. 

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan issued a strong statement on Friday, calling on both sides in the struggle for military power to "implement humanitarian pauses" allowing civilians and aid workers to access essential supplies.

Clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces erupted six days ago and have had a devastating impact on the lives of civilians and the massive ongoing humanitarian aid operation across the Sudan.

The latest information indicates that shelling, shelling and shootings continue unabated, particularly in the capital Khartoum.

The United Nations migration agency (IOM) reported on Friday that one of its employees had been the victim of the violence.

An IOM employee was killed after the vehicle he was traveling in with his family south of El Obeid was caught in a crossfire between two warring parties, said IOM Director General Antonio Vitorino.

He added that the employee left behind a wife and a newborn child.

The safety of all IOM staff is a top priority. We continue to work with our UN partners to update our security response,” he said.

Three employees of the World Food Program (WFP) also lost their lives in North Darfur at the start of the military confrontation on Saturday.

“IOM has been operating in Sudan since 2000, responding to the complex humanitarian needs of the country where there are an estimated 3.7 million internally displaced people,” continued the IOM Chief.

Some 15.8 million people in Sudan, a third of the population, needed humanitarian assistance before the fighting began this week.