UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Friday condemned the inaction of both the international community and the warring parties, as the conflict on civilians in Sudan continues into its third year.

Türk stated, “Two years of this brutal and senseless conflict must be a wake-up call to the parties to lay down their weapons and for the international community to act. Sudan must not remain on this destructive path.” He further condemned the rampant offenses of retaliatory attacks and summary killings of people suspected of being associated with opposing forces, as well as sexual violence and other forms of ill-treatment.

Moreover, Türk called on the parties involved in coordinating arms transfer to comply with their international obligations, in particular the UN Security Council arms embargo, which was extended in 2024.

Additionally, Türk highlighted the key roles played by both national and international actors in furthering their economic and business interests in gold and agricultural commodities in Sudan, which have substantially contributed to the ongoing conflict. The war economy of Sudan is driven by the production and trade of gold, oil, gum arabic, livestock, and other agricultural products such as sesame. Sudan’s civil war is fueled not only by a power struggle but also by competition over resources between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.

Notably, Sudan generated $1.5 billion in revenue from gold exports in 2024. Sudan accounted for 72.5 tonnes of gold production in 2023, with China topping the list. This highlights the contribution of the country’s gold reserves as “a key factor in prolonging the war.”

The violations of international human rights in Sudan have been worsening, as Amnesty International recently expressed concern over the escalating violence from both internal and external actors. UNICEF has previously warned that around “825,000 children are trapped in a growing catastrophe,” with more than 70 children killed and injured within the first three months of 2025.