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19-04-2023
KHARTOUM: A major aid organization says it is nearly impossible to provide humanitarian services in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, where fighting between rival political factions has trapped millions of people in their homes.
“The truth is that at the moment it is almost impossible to provide any humanitarian services in and around Khartoum,” Farid Aiywar, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies’ head of delegation for Sudan, said. “There are calls from various organizations and people trapped asking for evacuation.”
At least 185 people have been killed and more than 1,800 injured in more than four days of fighting that has pitted army units loyal to Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of Sudan’s transitional governing sovereign council, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, who is deputy head of the council. Their power struggle has derailed a shift to civilian rule and raised fears of a wider conflict.
Hopes of possible relief were raised on Tuesday when the rival commanders appeared to agree a 24-hour ceasefire after calls by the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken. He separately telephoned Dagalo and Burhan to express “grave concern” about civilian deaths and to urge them to agree to a ceasefire.
Dagalo, whose whereabouts have not been disclosed since fighting began, said the RSF had approved the 24-hour ceasefire to ensure the safe passage of civilians and evacuation of wounded people.
In a post on Twitter, Hemedti said he had “discussed pressing issues” with Blinken during their call and more talks were planned. The RSF also issued a statement saying it was waging a continuing battle to restore “the rights of our people” in what it called a new revolution.
The ceasefire will start at 6pm local time and will not extend beyond the agreed 24 hours, a member of Sudan’s ruling military council said on Al Arabiya TV.
The street battles have deprived much of Khartoum of basic services, cutting off supplies of food and medicine and trapping thousands of students in schools and colleges. The death toll is thought to be considerably higher than the 185 estimated by the UN, with reports of many bodies lying in the streets. (Int’l News Desk)
