In a statement to the press on Saturday, the UN Security Council called for fighting to stop in Sudan in the name of civilian protection. “The fighting has to stop,” said Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations and President of the Security Council for the month of June. “And civilians must be protected.”

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human rights followed up, saying it was “gravely concerned” about the ongoing civilian killings in El-Geneina in West Darfur, Sudan orchestrated by armed “Arab” militia and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The High Commissioner for Human Rights called for the RSF leadership to immediately stop the killing of civilians fleeing El-Geneina as well as hate speech against ethnic groups. They also want the persecutors to be held accountable.

The Security Council interviewed citizens who stated that they have witnessed executions and targeted attacks on civilians who were attempting to cross the border towards Chad. Sudan’s conflict started in mid-April after political tensions between the two main factions of the military regime boiled over, with both wanting control over the African nation. The US Mission to the UN said in a press release that members of the Security Council are concerned about the impact of the conflict on neighboring countries and encouraged UN member states to “respond swiftly” to provide humanitarian support to Sudan.

The conflict remains mostly in the capital Khartoum and western Sudan’s Darfur region, which has faced larger occurrences of ethnically-motivated killings. According to the UN migration agency, over 3 million people have been internally displaced and nearly a million have left for neighboring countries. Humanitarian groups continue to work in and around El-Geneina, providing protection services and survival kits.