UN official demands an immediate halt to drone strikes in Sudan
The UN’s political chief says neither side in Sudan is willing to negotiate, raising fears of further escalation.
By the Eagle's Cliff Africa desk · 17 Oct 2026 · Based on reporting by Arab News
Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told the Security Council that Sudan’s warring parties remain unwilling to negotiate, even though neither has won militarily. She demanded an immediate halt to drone strikes and said accountability is essential.
Fighting has been especially intense in North Kordofan, South Kordofan and Blue Nile, and is spreading. A Sudan Consultative Group meeting in Geneva next week will bring mediators together. The US deputy representative, Jeff Bartos, called for a humanitarian truce and an end to arms flows into Sudan.
Key facts
- Neither side willing to negotiate, says the UN
- Heaviest fighting in the Kordofans and Blue Nile
- Mediators meet in Geneva next week
Why it matters
When neither side can win and neither will talk, the decisive lever lies with those supplying the war. The Geneva meeting is worth watching for any agreement on arms flows.
Source: Arab News, 17 Oct 2026. This briefing summarises the original report in Eagle's Cliff Africa's words. Read the original report ↗
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