UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that Sudan’s conflict had expanded and intensified, with armed groups increasingly using drones in attacks.

The UN rights office documented more than 1,000 civilian deaths linked to drone strikes between January and May 2026, Turk said.Sudan has been gripped by a prolonged conflict that has caused widespread displacement and a severe humanitarian crisis.

The escalation of drone attacks has added another layer of danger for civilians caught between rival forces, as fighting continues across several parts of the country.

The UN has repeatedly raised concerns over the impact of the conflict on civilians and called for greater protection of non-combatants.

Guterres said the deal, which includes a permanent ceasefire and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, could help build momentum toward a broader and lasting resolution between the parties.

He urged all sides to “redouble their efforts” to achieve a comprehensive settlement, adding that the United Nations stands ready to support implementation of any future agreements.

The UN chief also expressed appreciation for the role played by several regional actors, including Pakistan, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, saying their involvement was “constructive” in facilitating negotiations.

The statement came as global reactions to the agreement continued, with European leaders indicating readiness to lift sanctions on Iran in response to progress on its nuclear program, while emphasizing that Tehran must not obtain a nuclear weapon.

A joint statement by European countries including the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy said they were prepared to coordinate with the United States, Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency on verification measures linked to the deal.

Japan also welcomed the agreement, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressing hope for its steady implementation and calling for guaranteed free and safe navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait, a key global energy shipping route, is expected to reopen under the terms of the ceasefire, marking a significant development in regional maritime security and global oil flows.

The draft resolution, which could be put to a vote soon, says a culture of impunity has “undermined the safety and security” of UN personnel deployed in some of the world’s most dangerous areas.

The document notes that prosecutions for crimes against peacekeepers remain rare and calls on host countries to investigate and prosecute those responsible for attacks.

The initiative comes as seven peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon have been killed since the start of the latest conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in early March. Two Malaysian members of the force were also slightly injured after an airstrike near a UN position in Tibnin caused damage from broken glass.

Denmark and Pakistan, both elected members of the Security Council, have made peacekeeping a central focus of their two-year terms. They have worked with South Korea as part of a group promoting renewed attention to UN peacekeeping issues.

The proposed resolution calls on all relevant parties to cooperate with the United Nations in identifying, investigating and prosecuting those responsible for attacks against peacekeepers.

It also urges states to take necessary measures in line with international humanitarian law and human rights obligations to ensure accountability.

The draft addresses concerns from countries that contribute troops to UN missions by calling for the appointment of a senior UN focal point to coordinate responses and encouraging affected countries to deploy trained investigators to support local investigations.

The resolution highlights growing threats against peacekeepers, including attacks involving shelling, improvised explosive devices and unmanned aerial systems.

Since 2013, at least 251 peacekeepers have been killed in the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mali through malicious acts, with few perpetrators brought to justice.

Under a decree approved by Hibatullah Akhundzada, girls may be considered eligible for marriage upon reaching puberty, and a girl’s silence can be treated as consent to marriage.

The UN committee said the measure violates international child-rights standards, arguing that puberty is not adulthood and that silence cannot be considered genuine consent.

Rights advocates warn the decree could increase forced and early marriages, while making it difficult for girls to challenge such unions in Taliban-controlled courts.

Taliban officials rejected the criticism, saying the policy is based on Islamic principles and insisting they oppose forced marriages. However, the UN says the decree undermines protections for children’s rights, education, health, and personal freedom.

Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the WFP, said Afghanistan was experiencing its worst malnutrition surge on record following climate-related disasters, a deadly earthquake and the return of millions of Afghans expelled from Iran and Pakistan.“It is a nutrition crisis here in Afghanistan,” Skau told AFP during a visit to the country.

“The surge last year was the worst we’ve ever seen. It’s worse this year.”The WFP estimated in January that around five million Afghan women and children would face life-threatening levels of malnutrition in 2026 in a country of more than 40 million people.

Afghanistan’s conflict-driven border shutdown with Pakistan, which has largely halted cross-border movement for nearly eight months, combined with economic fallout linked to the Iran war, has disrupted regional supply chains and pushed up prices for fuel and essential food commodities.

“If we weren’t struggling with the supply chain, both delays and costs, we would be able to feed a million more children here in Afghanistan,” Skau said.He said thousands of tons of fortified biscuits intended for Afghan schoolchildren had originally been scheduled to transit through Pakistan before border restrictions forced the WFP to reroute supplies through Dubai and Iran.

After conflict intensified in the Middle East, the agency was compelled to redirect shipments again through seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Georgia and Turkmenistan.“It’s about to arrive this week, but it’s taken months.

It cost us way more,” Skau said.Funding shortages have compounded the crisis. The WFP has secured only eight percent of its targeted funding for Afghanistan this year, limiting its ability to respond to escalating humanitarian needs.

Skau described visiting a rural clinic in eastern Afghanistan where women carrying severely malnourished children waited for hours seeking assistance, only to be turned away because aid stocks had run out.

“We did not have assistance to give them,” he said. “The desperation in the voice of these women will stay with me for a long time.”

Following a virtual meeting with officials of the African Union, Arab League, UN, and EU, it was announced at a news conference held at the UN’s New York headquarters. According to Guterres, there was broad agreement among all attendees to denounce the current fighting in Sudan and demand an end to hostilities.

I ask for a truce to last for at least three days to honour the celebration of Eid Al-Fitr as an immediate priority, he said.

He noted that a cease-fire would offer civilians who have been imprisoned in combat areas a chance to leave, get medical care, and get food and other necessities.

According to Ahmed Al-Mandhari of the World Health Organisation, fighting between opposing military factions in Khartoum and other areas has resulted in at least 330 fatalities and close to 3,200 injuries. He added that 16 hospitals, nine of which are in Khartoum, are allegedly not operating as a result of attacks and a lack of supplies.

A ceasefire, according to Guterres, would halt hostilities and be a necessary first step towards a lasting end to the conflict. He also stated: “I have been personally engaged in doing everything possible to make it happen.”

Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, the commander of Sudan’s regular army, and Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, his deputy and the leader of the Rapid Support Forces, a heavily armed militia that was formerly allied with the army, engaged in combat on 15 April in Khartoum. Both generals seized power in Sudan during a coup in 2021.

The two commanders’ disagreement over the RSF’s intended integration into the regular army, a crucial requirement for a final agreement to restart Sudan’s stalled democratic transition, led to the start of the conflict. Any agreement to put the government back under civilian control must also include the formal civilianization of the army.

A cease-fire agreement, according to Guterres, should be followed by serious talks between the opposing sides to determine a roadmap towards a transfer of power, beginning with the establishment of a civilian administration.

He yelled, “The fighting has to stop right now. “The terrible cost to civilians and the dreadful humanitarian situation deeply worry me.”

According to him, the attack, looting, or theft of humanitarian infrastructure and assets—including cars and warehouses—has made relief efforts in the nation all but impossible.

Targeting of aid workers and resources must stop, according to Guterres. I remind all parties of their responsibilities under international law, particularly the protection of those providing relief to those in need.

He also committed to keep working with all sides to create a ceasefire and a political process to end the violence. He also voiced his great worry for the wellbeing of UN workers in the nation who have been confined in their houses in battle zones.