A coalition of international powers on Thursday issued an urgent condemnation of escalating military operations in Sudan, warning that sieges, drone strikes, and attacks on civilian infrastructure are pushing the country toward further atrocities.
In a statement issued on February 12, 2026, on the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, the Quintet--comprising the AU, IGAD, the Arab League, the European Union, and the United Nations--called for an immediate halt to hostilities.
The group expressed particular alarm over the deteriorating situation in the Kordofan region and Blue Nile State, where tightening sieges and strikes on hospitals, schools, and humanitarian convoys have intensified.
"Civilians must no longer bear the cost of ongoing hostilities," reads the joint statement. "Serious violations of international humanitarian law cannot go unaddressed. Perpetrators must be held accountable."
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The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces erupted in April 2023, triggered by a breakdown in talks over the integration of the paramilitary group into the national army.
The conflict has killed over 150 thousand people, displaced millions, and pushed large swathes of the country into famine-like conditions.
Reports indicate that repeated ceasefire efforts have failed to hold.
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With the Muslim holy month of Ramadan approaching, the Quintet urged warring parties to seize ongoing mediation efforts to broker a humanitarian truce.
Such a pause, according to the statement, could enable life-saving aid deliveries and serve as a step toward a broader cessation of hostilities.
The group concluded by reaffirming its commitment to Sudan's sovereignty and territorial integrity while calling on external actors with influence to halt the flow of weapons and fighters sustaining the violence.
In a separate development on the same day, the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC) issued its own communiqué following a ministerial meeting on the margins of the summit. The PSC echoed the Quintet's grave concerns, stating that the continued armed conflict in Sudan is a source of profound regional instability.
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The 15-member council emphasized that the war has triggered an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, demanding immediate and robust international intervention.
"Unhindered humanitarian access to the population affected by famine and starvation in the country is demanded," the communiqué reads, highlighting the desperate conditions facing millions of Sudanese civilians.
Citing violations committed against civilians in El Fasher, the PSC characterized the acts as serious breaches of International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law.
It added that the perpetrators of such crimes must be held accountable.
Aligning with the Quintet's call for a Ramadan truce, the PSC also urged the warring parties to agree to a humanitarian pause. The council affirmed that such a truce should pave the way for an immediate ceasefire and, ultimately, the launch of an inclusive, Sudanese-led and -owned comprehensive political dialogue.
The PSC condemned external forces directly involved in the Sudanese conflict. It stated unequivocally that foreign interference continues to fuel the violence and prolong the suffering of civilians.
The council stressed the importance of identifying all external actors and containing their influence within a stipulated timeframe to prevent further fragmentation of the country.
