New York — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has described Sudan's humanitarian situation as "dire", saying the suffering of its people is intolerable and that foreign countries are helping to fuel the war.

Speaking to reporters at his annual press conference on Wednesday, ahead of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Guterres says Sudanese people themselves bear responsibility because they are divided and fighting one another. But the conflict, he adds, is also "fuelled by several countries from outside".

"We do not have intelligence services, but the UN Security Council's Panel of Experts has analysed this issue, and the conclusions are clear," Guterres says. "In my opinion, there should be accountability for this kind of interference, when some countries provide weapons to parties to a conflict that are used extensively to attack civilians."

Drone strikes threaten civilians and vital infrastructure

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The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warns that drone attacks and other hostilities continue to cause serious harm to civilians and critical infrastructure across Sudan.

In South Kordofan, local sources report that 13 civilians were killed and others injured when a drone struck a commercial truck in El Kuwaik village on Friday. The village lies on the road linking Kadugli, the state capital, with Dilling.

OCHA says critical infrastructure continues to come under attack. Drones were reportedly intercepted on Wednesday near power-generation facilities at the Sittit and Khashm el-Qirba dams in Gedaref and Kassala states.

The latest incidents follow several drone strikes on fuel stations in Damazin, the capital of Blue Nile state, which reportedly killed six civilians and caused severe fuel shortages in the city.

The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to provide essential assistance to people in need across Sudan despite insecurity and funding constraints, Ocha says.

The International Organization for Migration has recently distributed 2,000 personal-hygiene kits to displaced people in North Kordofan and White Nile states. The assistance was funded by the Sudan Humanitarian Fund, which is managed by Ocha.

Ocha renews its call on all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and to allow humanitarian aid to reach people rapidly, safely, and without obstruction for as long as it is needed.

It also urges donors to provide additional funding for the humanitarian response. Only 42% of this year's Sudan humanitarian appeal has been funded so far, with USD 1.2bn received out of the USD 2.9bn required.