Intergovernmental Authority on Development has expressed concern over the escalating conflict in El Fasher, Sudan.
IGAD executive secretary Workneh Gebeyehu condemned attacks on critical healthcare infrastructure.
He called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and called upon all parties involved to exercise restraint in accordance with established international norms.
In a statement, Gebeyehu cited the recent attack on Babiker Nahar Paediatric Hospital that led to the collapse of the roof in the intensive care unit resulting in the death of two children and some caregivers.
“Such actions not only disrupt the vital supply chain of medical supplies but also hinder the treatment of the injured and vulnerable, including women, and children, disrupt the economy and displaced people,” Gebeyehu said.
"The war has severely impacted an already fragile humanitarian situation and poses a grave threat to the lives of innocent civilians."
He stressed the urgent need for unimpeded access to humanitarian aid delivery to alleviate the suffering of affected populations in the country.
Gebeyehu called on the IGAD assembly of heads of state and government and international partners to compel the warring factions to lay down their arms and return to the negotiating table.
As the civil war enters its second year, Sudan's two warring factions the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces remain locked in a deadly power struggle for El Fasher.
According to the United Nations, almost 14,000 people have been killed, and more than eight million displaced since the conflict began on April 15, 2023, giving rise to the worst displacement crisis in the world.