United Nations, May 1 -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday renewed his call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan and urged the international community to act with urgency to help bring an end to the relentless suffering and destruction in the country.

The UN chief "is appalled by the increasingly catastrophic situation in Sudan's North Darfur State, as deadly attacks continue on its capital Al Fasher," just two weeks after an assault on the famine-stricken Zamzam and Abu Shouk displacement camps which reportedly killed hundreds of civilians, including humanitarian workers, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, said in a statement.

With more than 400,000 people estimated to have been forced ...