The Security Council is due to hear a Libya briefing on 14 October. Sudan consultations continue as fighting worsens in Yemen and eastern DRC; Cyprus leaders have also met under UN auspices.
In Tripoli, Dr. Mohamed Sharafeddine Al-Fitouri and Abu Bakr Al-Jarrari were reported missing. Mustafa Al-Sheikh and Mohammed Al-Sheikh were detained in Ghat, and their whereabouts were unknown. The UN raised concerns about alleged disappearances. It also cited arbitrary detentions and abductions. The United Nations said Hanna Tetteh, its Special Representative and head of UNSMIL, would brief the Security Council on Libya's latest political and security developments on the morning of 14 October. UNSMIL said it was seriously concerned and continued to monitor the cases.
Diplomacy on Sudan continues without an announced agreement.
The UN and the European Union are consulting Sudanese civilian and political stakeholders. The League of Arab States is involved, as are IGAD and the African Union. On 13 October, the five partners continued meetings in Addis Ababa, including with the anti-war platform Somoud. Their stated aim is to prepare an inclusive political dialogue owned and led by Sudanese stakeholders. No agreement or political settlement has been announced. The UN said further meetings with political representatives are planned in the coming weeks, as detailed in its 13 October briefing.
Separately, UN Personal Envoy Pekka Haavisto and the Swiss government are due to co-host the sixth consultative meeting on coordinating peace initiatives in Geneva on 21 October. A preparatory discussion on the humanitarian situation is scheduled for 20 October at the Palais des Nations. Expected participants include states supporting major peace initiatives and members of the Quad. Sudan's neighbours are also expected, alongside the permanent members of the Security Council. The discussions follow earlier diplomatic engagement on Sudan and Libya.
On 8 October, the Security Council extended Sudan-related sanctions for a further two months. The existing arms embargo applies only to Darfur, not the whole country. The UN Secretary-General has warned that new arms supplies would intensify the conflict. Any decision to expand the embargo rests with Council members.
The humanitarian situation is worsening. On 12 October, the UN reported a new Integrated Food Security Phase Classification alert, citing deteriorating conditions in areas of Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan. More than half of Sudan's territory is experiencing severe drought, which the UN linked to El Niño. Access restrictions are obstructing aid deliveries and humanitarian operations. Conflict and hunger are compounding the risks to civilians, while climate shocks add further pressure.
In eastern DRC, Secretary-General's Special Envoy Huang Xia told the Security Council that diplomatic efforts had made progress. That work includes FDLR disarmament and the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus. Xia warned that security and humanitarian conditions continue to deteriorate amid hostilities. He also cited rising regional tensions and the spread of Ebola. Xia called for sustained confidence-building and regional cooperation. He urged meaningful participation by women and youth in peace processes.
At a Security Council meeting on 13 October, the UN discussed continuing instability in eastern DRC and the expanding presence of the AFC-M23 armed alliance in North Kivu and South Kivu. UN representatives condemned attacks on civilians. They urged armed groups to end hostilities and respect international humanitarian law. They also called on the groups to uphold human rights. The UN called for humanitarian access without obstruction. Aid must reach people safely and without delay.
The scale of the wider humanitarian crisis is stark. On 9 October, the UN reported that more than 6.1 million people were internally displaced in the DRC. Over 26 million faced food insecurity. More than four million children under five were malnourished. The UN said efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak must continue. It also stressed the need to address displacement and hunger, along with child malnutrition.
The UN voiced concern over military escalation involving Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Intense fighting continues on multiple front lines, particularly in Taiz, where civilians face severe humanitarian consequences. On 9 October, UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg told the Security Council that Yemen had again descended into full-scale war. Fighting had spread across several fronts in recent weeks.
Diplomatic contacts included the Yemeni government and the Houthis. The UN also engaged regional and international parties in Riyadh and Muscat. Contacts took place in Cairo and Washington as well. The UN urged the parties to exercise restraint. It called on them to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure under international humanitarian law, then pursue inclusive dialogue. Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mohamed Yahya called for protection of civilians. He also named medical facilities and schools. The UN called for the immediate release of 72 staff members whom it said remained arbitrarily detained by the Houthis. The UN says there is no military solution, and Special Envoy Hans Grundberg continues his work.
Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman met today under UN auspices. The meeting took place in a positive atmosphere in the United Nations Protected Area.
