Pope Leo XIV has issued a heartfelt plea for an immediate and coordinated international response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, which continues to be ravaged by civil war, famine, and a devastating landslide that claimed hundreds of lives.
“Tragic news reaches us from Darfur in western Sudan. In El Fasher, many civilians are trapped in the city, victims of famine and violence,” the American pontiff said at the conclusion of his weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square.
The city of El Fasher has been under siege for over a year, facing relentless assaults by paramilitary forces determined to seize control, leaving civilians starving and exposed to constant shelling.
The Pope called on global leaders to act decisively: “I appeal to those responsible and to the international community to guarantee access to humanitarian corridors and coordinate a response to bring an end to this humanitarian catastrophe.”
He further urged for urgent negotiations: “It is time for serious, sincere, and comprehensive dialogue between the parties to end the conflict and restore hope, dignity, and peace to the Sudanese people.”
Sudan has been engulfed in a brutal war since April 2023 between the national army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a conflict the United Nations has labeled “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” Vast regions of the country are facing famine, with more than 14 million people displaced and tens of thousands killed.
Pope Leo also addressed the “devastating landslide” that struck Darfur on Sunday following torrential rains, which, according to the UN, left hundreds dead and countless others in despair: “As if this were not enough, the spread of cholera threatens hundreds of thousands of people who are already exhausted. I am closer than ever to the Sudanese people.”
Source: ANA-MPA
