NAIROBI, Kenya 

The head of the African Union Commission (AUC) on Friday called for a cease-fire in conflict-torn Sudan during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

"Moussa Faki Mahamat calls upon the Sudanese parties to observe a total cease-fire across the whole national territory throughout the holy month of Ramadan," the African Union said in a statement. 

Fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces began in April 2023. A central cause of tension was the integration of the RSF into the armed forces.

More than 13,000 people have since been killed, and millions have been displaced who need humanitarian aid and assistance.

The AUC chairperson said the cease-fire "could help facilitate the dispatch of humanitarian aid to civilian populations in dire need."

He urged the parties to "shoulder their responsibilities to prevent the serious risk of famine and other humanitarian catastrophes to befall the Sudanese people and the neighboring states."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also called for a truce in the North African country in Ramadan, which begins early next week.

"In just a few days, the holy month of Ramadan will begin. Today, during a Security Council meeting on Sudan, I made an appeal to all actors involved in the conflict to honour a Ramadan cessation of hostilities," Guterres said in a post on X on Thursday. "It is time to silence the guns and raise the volume for peace."