UN News Today 15 April 2025 |

External flow of weapons into Sudan must end, insists UN’s Guterres

Two years to the day since Sudan’s brutal war erupted between rival generals who were supposed to be supporting the peaceful transition to civilian rule after the overthrow of Omar Al-Bashir, UN chief António Guterres insisted that the world “must not forget” the suffering of the country’s people.

The violence must end, along with the “external support and flow of weapons” into the devastated nation that is at risk of fragmenting into Government and opposition-held regions, the Secretary-General said.

Behind the grim anniversary is the largest displacement crisis in the world – and the worst humanitarian emergency – UN agencies say.

Basic infrastructure in the capital, Khartoum, has been devastated by fighting and aid teams have warned that help is needed urgently to support the estimated three million people who are expected to return there.

From the UN Development Programme, UNDP, here’s its representative for Sudan, Luca Renda, reporting on what he saw in Khartoum in recent days:

“The situation in Khartoum is extremely dire, especially in the areas where the conflict has been intense. So, there is massive destruction of infrastructure, no access to water currently, no electricity, and of course a lot of contamination of the unexploded ordnance. ”

Lebanon: UN rights office condemns deadly Israeli strikes on civilians

Israeli air raids in southern Lebanon have struck civilian infrastructure and killed more than 70 civilians despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that began more than five months ago, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday.

Targets have included medical facilities, residential buildings, roads and a cafe.

OHCHR spokesperson Thameem Al-Kheetan said that the victims included 14 women and nine children. “People remain gripped by fear, and over 92,000 people in southern Lebanon are still displaced from their homes,” he told journalists in Geneva:

“The violence must stop immediately. All parties to the conflict must respect international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.”

The ceasefire came into effect at the end of November   after intensifying exchanges of rocket fire between Hezbollah and the Israeli military linked to the war in Gaza.

The UN human rights office noted that at least five rockets, two mortars and a drone have also been launched from Lebanon towards the north of Israel since the truce was announced.

40 tonnes of relief supplies arrive for Myanmar’s quake survivors: UNHCR

A plane carrying more than 40 tonnes of critical relief supplies from the UN refugee agency – UNHCR – has landed in Myanmar to help people impacted by the earthquake disaster.

The UNHCR-chartered flight, which is supported by the Dubai humanitarian hub, delivered enough relief supplies for nearly 16,000 people.

The flight delivered tents and household items which are needed urgently because many survivors are still sleeping out in the open because of aftershocks.

More than 3,000 people are now known to have died in the disaster on 28 March, with more than 5,000 injured and hundreds still missing.

UNHCR says that 41,000 houses collapsed across worst-hit central areas and 7.2 million people were impacted in all.

This includes more than two million who were already displaced because of Myanmar’s ongoing conflict, which was sparked by the military coup in 2021.

Daniel Johnson, UN News

Music composed and produced by Joachim Harris. All rights reserved.