United Nations, Oct 29 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for effort to cease hostilities and protect civilians in war-torn Sudan, but said conditions do not exist currently for the successful deployment of a UN force.

"Eighteen months have passed since brutal fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. The suffering is growing by the day, with almost 25 million people now requiring assistance," Guterres said in briefing the Security Council on the situation in Sudan on Monday.

"The people of Sudan are living through a nightmare of violence," with thousands of civilians killed, and countless others facing unspeakable atrocities, including widespread rape and sexual assaults, the UN chief noted.

The Sudanese people "are also enduring a nightmare of hunger," with more than 750,000 people facing catastrophic food insecurity, famine conditions taking hold in displacement sites in North Darfur, and millions struggling to feed themselves every day, he said.

"And Sudan is, once again, rapidly becoming a nightmare of mass ethnic violence, in particular with the dramatic escalation of fighting in El Fasher," Guterres said.

In his remarks, Guterres outlined three key priorities to protect civilians in Sudan. First, both sides must immediately agree to a cessation of hostilities; second, civilians must be protected; and third, humanitarian aid must flow, Xinhua news agency reported.

Guterres said that at present, the conditions do not exist for the successful deployment of a UN force to protect civilians in Sudan.

However, he said, the United Nations stands ready to engage with the Security Council and others on the range of operational modalities that can meaningfully contribute to the reduction in violence and the protection of civilians.

"This may require new approaches that are adapted to the challenging circumstances of the conflict," the UN chief stressed.

Guterres urged the Council to continue supporting his special envoy, Ramtane Lamamra, in his diplomatic efforts to finally bring an end to the conflict, and encouraged effective engagement with regional partners like the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the League of Arab States, and other key ones.

/IANS