Blinken and Saudi Prince Faisal discuss 'urgent need' to end Sudan war

According to the UN, 18 million Sudanese people are facing acute hunger

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. AP

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on Monday discussed the “urgent need” for international efforts to end the war in Sudan and avert famine.

In a phone call, Mr Blinken also expressed “grave concern” over recent Houthi detentions of UN, diplomatic and aid staff, and continuing attacks by the Iran-backed Yemeni rebels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the State Department said.

In Sudan, which broke into civil war in April last year, about 18 million people face acute hunger, according to the UN.

The war erupted after weeks of tension between the army and the Rapid Support Forces militia over details of the country’s transition to democracy.

The UN estimates that more than 150,000 people have been killed.

Mr Blinken and Prince Faisal “discussed the urgent need for collective international action to end the war in Sudan and prevent famine and further atrocity in what is the world's largest humanitarian crisis", the department said.

Samantha Power, who leads the US Agency for International Development, last week announced $315 million in US aid for Sudan but said little was reaching isolated people.

Saudi Arabia was last month expected to host peace talks in Jeddah, where the kingdom and the US have already mediated several rounds of negotiations without success.

But Sudanese army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan has said there will be no peace in Sudan until the military defeats the RSF, throwing any chances of ceasefire talks into doubt.

On Gaza, Mr Blinken and Prince Faisal spoke about efforts to achieve a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages.

They also co-ordinated plans for the post-war period, the State Department said.

At least 37,347 people have been killed in Gaza during more than eight months of war between Israel and Hamas, the enclave's Health Ministry said.

It began on October 7 during Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people, with about 240 taken hostage.

In Yemen, where the Houthi rebels are supporting Hamas by attacking ships they claim are connected to Israel, 13 UN personnel are being detained along with five staff members of international aid groups and many more civilians.

On Friday, the leaders of six UN agencies and three international NGOs called for the release of their staff by the Houthis and said the abduction of aid and development workers in Yemen must stop.