Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called for humanitarian corridors to protect civilians in war-torn Sudan and urged international backing for an immediate ceasefire.
Speaking after the Angelus, the Pope said he was following “with चिंता” the “tragic situation in Sudan, particularly in the city of El-Obeid,” the largest city in the South Kordofan region.
El-Obeid has come under intense drone attack in recent weeks, prompting the United Nations to issue a “red alert” over what it described as a catastrophe unfolding there.
The war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) began in April 2023 and has since killed tens of thousands of people.
Expressing his “spiritual closeness” to the Sudanese people, Leo renewed his appeal to the authorities to guarantee humanitarian corridors for civilians.
He also called on the international community to support efforts to secure an immediate ceasefire.
Drone warfare has become an increasingly prominent feature of the conflict in recent months. According to the UN, more than 1,000 civilians were killed in such strikes during the first five months of this year.
The UN has repeatedly warned that RSF advances in El-Obeid and across the wider Kordofan region could lead to large-scale atrocities.
The conflict has displaced millions of people and triggered what the UN describes as the world’s worst hunger crisis.
