The intensifying shelling, air and drone strikes against civilians in the Darfur and Kordofan regions and other conflict-affected areas in Sudan is relentless.

Reports of continued indiscriminate attacks on homes, markets and displacement camps are deeply alarming. This is not warfare - this is a ruthless assault on human life.

The use of starvation as a weapon of war against innocent people in Al Fasher, North Darfur, is appalling.

The laws of war are clear - all sides to the conflict have a legal and moral obligation to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

The world cannot look away as civilians are caught in the crossfire, bearing the brunt of a war that continues to disregard the most fundamental rules of armed conflict and international humanitarian law.

I once again call on all sides to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law, stop targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure, and allow immediate, unimpeded humanitarian access to those in need.

This war must not continue to be fought at the expense of the lives of innocent Sudanese children, women and men.