UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths released a statement Sunday calling for a ceasefire in Sudan’s ongoing conflict, which he said was “one of the worst humanitarian nightmares in recent history.”

The armed conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023 between the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group (RSF) and the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF), has raged on for six months. According to Griffiths, the conflict has now killed over 9,000 people, driven 5.6 million from their homes and left 25 million in need of aid. In addition to the fighting, a cholera outbreak has swept the country, with over 1,000 cases reported in Gedaref, Khartoum, and Kordofan.

The conflict has gained increasing international attention in the last few months, including the launch of a fact-finding mission by the UN last week to investigate human rights and international law violations.

In his statement, Griffith included a call to action, asking for additional aid:

This cannot go on.

It is time for parties to the conflict to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law. It is time for them to honor the commitments they made in Jeddah to protect civilians and allow humanitarian aid. It is time for them to recommit to dialogue at the highest levels to end this conflict, once and for all.

It is also time for donors to step up their support.

The international community cannot desert the people of Sudan.

He also urged parties to uphold an agreement made in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF to protect civilians in the conflict.

While international aid efforts cannot do much to decrease the fighting in Sudan, Griffith is hopeful that the United Nations, with help from the international community, can minimize the effects that this conflict has on civilians.