Clashes between Sudan’s military and the country’s main paramilitary force have left at least 100 dead. At the same time, control of the presidential palace and the international airport in Khartoum is in doubt after disputed claims from both sides.
The clashes erupted last week amid an apparent power struggle between the two main factions of Sudan’s military regime.
Latest news according to BBC is a US diplomatic convoy came under attack, but nobody was injured. There’s news that the EU ambassador in Sudan Aidan O’Hara was assaulted at his home in Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan. O’Hara was not seriously hurt according to a report attributed to Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin, reported by the BBC.
The Sudanese armed forces are broadly loyal to Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the country’s de facto ruler, while the paramilitaries of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a collection of militia, follow the former warlord Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.
BREAKING: The head of Sudan's army, Abdel Fattah al Burhan, has said he is open to negotiations, adding that 'every war ends in negotiation, even if the opponent is defeated'.@YousraElbagir reports.
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On Monday, United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken joined regional efforts to pressure the warring sides to end the fighting and return to talks as the civilian death toll rose to 97.
The two sides agreed to a three-hour pause in fighting from 4 pm on Saturday to allow humanitarian evacuations proposed by the United Nations.
The clashes are part of a power struggle between army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the head of the RSF group.
The two generals are former allies who jointly orchestrated an October 2021 military coup that halted Sudan’s transition process to democratic rule and elections.
Sudan’s foreign ministry has said the country’s army chief al-Burhan has ordered the dissolution of the RSF and branded it as a rebellious group.
Various airlines worldwide have canceled flights to Khartoum International Airport due to safety concerns.
On Saturday, April 15, Kenya Airways suspended all its flights to Khartoum, joining a list of several other airlines.
“Due to the ongoing unrest in Khartoum, Sudan, we have canceled all flights into and out of Khartoum effective April 15 2023. This is still a developing situation; we continue to monitor and will share updates as soon as we have more information,” KQ said.
“Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused. The safety and well-being of our crew and Customers is our number one priority,” the statement added.
On Sunday, the Sudanese Civil Aviation authorities banned flights through their airspace. Airlines were consequently forced to adjust their schedules.
Fighter jets reportedly bombed Khartoum military headquarters and the planes at Khartoum airport.
The African Union, on Monday, April 17, released a statement calling for the cessation of fighting between the two sides of the military.
“The AU notes with grave concern and alarms the deadly clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have reached a dangerous level and could escalate into a full-blown conflict, thereby undermining the progress made towards a peaceful transition to democracy and stability in Sudan,” the statement read in part.
The AU “strongly” condemned the ongoing armed confrontation between the two sides throughout Sudan and called for “an immediate ceasefire by the two parties without conditions, in the supreme interest of Sudan and its people to avoid further bloodshed and harm to innocent civilians.”
The union rejected external interference in the war. It urged the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces to swiftly embrace a peaceful solution and inclusive dialogue to resolve their differences to promote stability.
The AU “strongly rejects any external interference that could complicate the situation in Sudan and urges the region’s countries and other stakeholders to support ongoing efforts to return the country to the transition process towards a constitutional order.”
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