US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has underscored the urgency of reaching a ceasefire after dozens of civilians were killed in the clashes between the armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Blinken, speaking on the sidelines of a Group of Seven Foreign Ministers meeting in Japan, "shared deep concern" among allies about the fighting in Sudan.
There was "a strongly held view, again, across all of our partners on the need for an immediate ceasefire and return to talks — talks that were very promising in putting Sudan on the path to a full transition to civilian-led government," he said.
Blinken said the Sudanese "want the military back in the barracks. They want democracy. They want the civilian-led government, Sudan needs to return to that path."
"There is a shared deep concern about the fighting, violence that's going on in Sudan. The threat that that poses to civilians, that it poses to the Sudanese nation and potentially poses even to the region," Blinken added.
Earlier, he said during a press conference in Vietnam on Saturday that "the major parties in Khartoum some weeks ago reached a very important framework agreement on how to proceed with a transition to civilian government."
"There are other actors that may be pushing against that progress. But this is a real opportunity to finally carry forward the civilian-led transition."
Blinken's views were echoed by British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.
"We call upon them to put peace first, to bring an end to the fighting, to get back to negotiations," Cleverly said.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted the developments in Sudan before delivering his speech during a meeting at the UN headquarters.
"Fighting in Sudan has already led to horrendous loss of life. Any further escalation could be devastating for the country and the region," he tweeted.
He further urged "those with influence over the situation" to "use it to support efforts to end the violence, restore order and return to the path of transition."
"I condemn the deaths and injuries to civilians and humanitarian workers and the targeting and looting of premises. I remind all parties of the need to respect international law, including ensuring the safety and security of all United Nations and associated personnel and humanitarian aid workers," said Guterres.
"I have spoken during the weekend with the two Sudanese leaders, and I am actively engaging with the AU, the Arab League, and leaders across the region."
He further reaffirmed that "the United Nations stands with the people of Sudan at this very difficult time, with full support for their efforts to restore the democratic transition and build a peaceful, secure future."
