Fighting in Sudan’s capital Khartoum has intensified as the Sudanese army battles the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group for strategic locations. The U.N.’s top humanitarian official, Martin Griffiths, arrived in Port Sudan this week, where he called on combatants to allow the distribution of critically needed relief shipments to millions of civilians trapped by the fighting.

Martin Griffiths: “We need access. We need airlift. We need supplies that don’t get looted. World Food Programme today, James, informed me six trucks of theirs, which were going to Darfur, were looted en route, despite assurances of safety and security. So it’s a volatile environment.”

The U.N. says the violence has forced 100,000 civilians to flee their homes, with critical shortages of food, water, medicine and electricity.

In Washington, D.C., President Biden signed an executive order Thursday authorizing sanctions against Sudanese leaders. The order came as U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told a Senate panel Sudan’s conflict is likely to be protracted, as both sides believe that they can win militarily and have few incentives to come to the negotiating table.