Pope appeals for end to conflict in Sudan, open paths for aid

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV publicly called on the leaders of Sudan's warring factions to negotiate an end to the violence and to ensure aid can reach desperate civilians.

A day after sending a telegram of condolence for people who died when heavy rains triggered a landslide in a remote area of Sudan, the pope publicly called for peace and for prayers Sept. 3 at the end of his weekly general audience.

"Dramatic news is coming from Sudan, particularly from Darfur," Pope Leo said. "In el-Fasher many civilians are trapped in the city, victims of famine and violence. In Tarasin, a devastating landslide has caused numerous deaths, leaving behind pain and despair. And as if that weren't enough, the spread of cholera is threatening hundreds of thousands of people who are already exhausted."

"I make a heartfelt appeal to those in positions of responsibility and to the international community to ensure humanitarian corridors are open and to implement a coordinated response to stop this humanitarian catastrophe," the pope said.

A statement from the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women Sept. 2 said that with a standoff between warring factions surrounding el-Fasher for 500 days already, women and girls "have borne the brunt of a relentless siege. Cut off from humanitarian aid and protection, they face a daily risk of starvation as a weapon of war, and indiscriminate bombardment leading to deaths and sexual violence."

"With food stocks depleted and efforts by the United Nations and its partners to move in with supplies hampered by attacks, families are now surviving on animal feed and tree leaves," the commission said. "There have been repeated attacks on humanitarian personnel and assets in North Darfur over recent months."

In his appeal, Pope Leo said that "it is time to begin a serious, sincere and inclusive dialogue among the parties, to put an end to the conflict and to restore hope, dignity and peace to the people of Sudan."

Sudan has been in the throes of armed conflict since April 2023 when the Sudan Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces started fighting.

The day before the pope's general audience, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, sent a telegram to Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali of El Obeid.

"His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was deeply saddened to learn of the devastation caused by the landslide in the village of Tarasin in Sudan's Central Darfur region, and he assures everyone affected by this disaster of his spiritual closeness," the telegram said.

Late Sept. 1 the Sudan Liberation Movement-Army, a rebel group controlling the area, reported that the entire village of Tarasin had been buried in the landslide Aug. 31 and that up to 1,000 people were dead. The group said only one person had survived, The Associated Press reported.

The BBC later quoted the U.N.'s deputy humanitarian coordinator for Sudan as saying at least 370 people had died in the landslide in the village, which is in the remote Marrah Mountains in western Sudan.

Antoine Gérard, the U.N. official, told the BBC that it was hard to assess the scale of the incident or the exact death toll as the area was very hard to reach.

Cardinal Parolin assured Bishop Andali that Pope Leo was "praying especially for the eternal rest of the dead, for those who mourn their loss, and for the rescue of the many persons still missing."

Pope Leo also "offers encouragement to the civil authorities and emergency personnel in their ongoing relief efforts," the cardinal said.