Global Courant 2023-04-16 17:21:11
In a rare moment of unity Sunday, the United States, Russia and China all called for an end to violence in Sudan, where officials said dozens were killed and hundreds injured as the military and a powerful paramilitary group battled for control about the chaos-ridden African nation.
As heavy fighting entered the second day, the Sudan Central Doctors’ Committee said in a tweet that at least 56 civilians had been killed and “the number of injured reached 595, including wounded soldiers, including dozens of critical cases.”
It added that it believed there were dozens of additional deaths among the Sudanese army and its partner-turned-rival, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) group that began fighting for control of the country on Saturday.
Volker Perthes, the United Nations Special Representative to Sudan, said in a statement that three World Food Program employees were killed in clashes that erupted in Kabkabiya, North Darfur.
“My deepest condolences go out to their families,” he said in a statement, adding that he was “extremely shocked” by reports of looting of UN and other humanitarian buildings in Darfur.
Both the army and the RSF claimed successes in social media posts on Sunday, but it was unclear which side had gained the upper hand as clashes raged in the capital Khartoum and other parts of the country.
Their claims came after the Sudanese news agency released a statement from the Khartoum State Security Committee on Saturday warning people to “stay at home as much as possible”.
“Dear citizens should stay away from military areas and all places that could be a target for the ongoing operations,” it said.
People ran past a military vehicle in Khartoum on Saturday as clashes took place in the city.AFP – Getty Images
The clashes capped months of heightened tensions between the two forces that had stalled a deal with political parties to return the country to its short-lived transition to democracy, which was derailed by a military coup in October 2021.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that the US urged Sudan’s military chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF chief General Mohamed Hamdan Degalo to “take active measures to reduce tensions and to ensure everyone’s safety. citizens.”
“The only way forward is to return to negotiations that support the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people,” added Blinken, who traveled from Vietnam to Japan on Sunday to meet foreign ministers from the Group of Seven.
His remarks came after China’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday that it was “closely monitoring” the situation and hoped that “the parties in Sudan will intensify dialogue and jointly continue the political transition process.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s foreign ministry said in a statement on its Telegram channel on Saturday that it was concerned about the “dramatic events taking place in Sudan”, and called on “the warring parties to show political will and restraint and take steps move toward an immediate ceasefire,” the statement said.
The Wagner Group, a private military contractor with ties to the Kremlin, has stationed agents in Sudan to support Russia’s interests in the region, according to the Associated Press, which reported that Moscow was also building a naval base on the east coast from Sudan.
Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (L) and Rapid Support Forces commander, General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.ASHRAF SHAZLY/AFP – Getty Images
Their calls were echoed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called on Twitter for “an immediate cessation of hostilities”, Arab League chief Ahmed Aboul Gheit and African Union head Moussa Faki Mahamat, who urged the warring parties to declare a ceasefire.
However, it seemed that neither side was willing to negotiate and gunfire was heard in the town of Bahri on Sunday, according to Reuters. Drone footage taken by an American traveler staying in Khartoum showed clouds of smoke towering over the city’s airport, with at least one plane on fire.
The military and RSF had previously worked together to coordinate the coup that overthrew the government in October 2021.
But recent tensions stem from disagreements over how the RSF, led by General Dagalo, should be integrated into the armed forces and which authority should oversee the process. On Saturday, the army called for the dismantling of the RSF, describing it as an “insurgent militia”.
The merger is a key condition of Sudan’s unsigned transitional agreement with political groups.
At the crossroads of the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa, the country borders six countries and is known for its history of military coups and civil conflict since gaining independence in the 1950s.
The US placed Sudan under a trade embargo between 1993-2017, when the country was designated a state sponsor of terrorism. Attempts at normalization have since been halted due to political instability, the State Department said.
Associated Press contributed.
