Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he was deeply alarmed by the unfolding tragedy, describing it as a humanitarian catastrophe marked by mass killings, starvation and displacement on a scale that shocked the conscience, Bernama reported.

“Reports of atrocities that may amount to crimes against humanity, even genocide, are intolerable. Malaysia calls for an immediate cessation of violence and for the protection of civilians in full accordance with international humanitarian law,” he said in a posting on Facebook today.

Anwar urged the international community to act decisively to prevent further suffering, restore humanitarian access and support a credible process towards peace and accountability.

The International Organization for Migration announced yesterday that 1,205 people were displaced from the cities of Bara and Umm Ruwaba in North Kordofan state, while another 360 fled from Al-Abbasiya and Delami in South Kordofan due to worsening insecurity, Anadolu Ajansi reported.

The conflict has killed 20,000 people and displaced more than 15 million.