This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/27/sudan-conflict-army-says-it-is-willing-to-extend-ceasefire-amid-plans-for-talks

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Sudan conflict: army says it is willing to extend ceasefire amid plans for talks Sudan conflict: renewed clashes raise fears ceasefire will not be extended
(about 7 hours later)
No response yet from Rapid Support Forces to regional proposal that includes extending the truce for another 72 hours UK military chiefs say flights will continue as long as conditions are safe
Sudan’s army expressed willingness to extend the three-day ceasefire that is due to expire on Thursday night, amid sporadic fighting around the capital, Khartoum. Renewed clashes in Khartoum and in south-west Sudan have raised fears that the current three-day ceasefire due to expire on Thursday night will not be extended and fighting will instead intensify
The army said late on Wednesday its leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, had given initial approval to a plan to extend the truce for another 72 hours and send an army envoy to the South Sudan capital of Juba for talks. A surge in violence would threaten the evacuation of thousands of foreign nationals who remain in Sudan. UK military chiefs said flights would continue as long as conditions were safe, although the foreign secretary, James Cleverly, said the UK “cannot guarantee” how many would depart once the ceasefire ends.
The Sudanese armed forces and its rival, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), previously agreed to a three-day ceasefire that is due to expire late on Thursday. There was no immediate response from the RSF to the proposal from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), a regional bloc. The violence in Sudan has pitted army units loyal to its military de facto ruler, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, against the Rapid Support Forces, paramilitaries led by a warlord called Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti.
The military said the presidents of South Sudan, Kenya and Djibouti have worked on a proposal that includes extending the truce and talks between the two forces. The Sudanese army said on Wednesday that Burhan had given initial approval to a plan to extend the truce for another 72 hours and send an army envoy to the South Sudan capital of Juba for talks.
“Burhan thanked the IGAD and expressed an initial approval to that,” the army statement said. There was no immediate response from the RSF to the proposal from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (Igad), a regional bloc.
Any ceasefire extension could help international evacuation efforts. UK military chiefs said evacuation flights would continue as long as conditions were safe, though the foreign secretary, James Cleverly, said the UK “cannot guarantee” how many further evacuation flights will depart once the ceasefire ends. The Sudanese military said the presidents of South Sudan, Kenya and Djibouti had worked on a proposal that included extending the truce and talks between the two forces.
US secretary of state Antony Blinken and African Union Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat discussed working together to create a sustainable end to the fighting, the state department said in a statement on Wednesday. “Burhan thanked the Igad and expressed an initial approval to that,” the army statement said.
Some of Wednesday’s heaviest battles were in Omdurman, a city adjoining Khartoum where the army was fighting RSF reinforcements from other regions of Sudan, a Reuters reporter said. Heavy gunfire and airstrikes could be heard into the evening. The move comes amid frantic efforts to stop Sudan, Africa’s third largest country, sliding into greater chaos.
Since fighting erupted on 15 April, airstrikes and artillery have killed at least 512 people, wounded nearly 4,200, destroyed hospitals and limited food distribution in the vast nation where a third of the 46 million population was already reliant on humanitarian aid. The true death toll is thought to be much higher.
The World Health Organization said only 16% of health facilities were functioning in Khartoum and predicted “many more deaths” as a result of disease and shortages of food, water and medical services including immunisation.
An estimated 50,000 acutely malnourished children have had treatment disrupted because of the conflict, and those hospitals still functioning are facing shortages of medical supplies, power and water, according to a UN update on Wednesday.
Though the ceasefire has led to a reduction in violence, there were clashes in Omdurman, a city adjoining Khartoum where the army was fighting RSF reinforcements from other regions of Sudan, on Wednesday.
In Khartoum, which together with two bordering cities is one of Africa’s largest urban areas, there was widespread looting.In Khartoum, which together with two bordering cities is one of Africa’s largest urban areas, there was widespread looting.
Since fighting erupted on 15 April, airstrikes and artillery have killed at least 512 people, wounded nearly 4,200, destroyed hospitals and limited food distribution in the vast nation where a third of the 46 million population was already reliant on humanitarian aid. Deadly clashes broke out in Geneina in West Darfur on Tuesday and Wednesday resulting in looting and civilian deaths and raising concerns about an escalation of ethnic tensions.
The World Health Organization said only 16% of health facilities were functioning in Khartoum and predicted “many more deaths” due to disease and shortages of food, water and medical services including immunisation.
An estimated 50,000 acutely malnourished children have had treatment disrupted due to the conflict, and those hospitals still functioning are facing shortages of medical supplies, power and water, according to a UN update on Wednesday.
Deadly clashes broke out in Geneina in West Darfur on Tuesday and Wednesday resulting in looting and civilian deaths and raising concerns about an escalation of ethnic tensions, the update said.
The crisis has sent growing numbers of refugees across Sudan’s borders, with the UN refugee agency estimating 270,000 people could flee into South Sudan and Chad alone.The crisis has sent growing numbers of refugees across Sudan’s borders, with the UN refugee agency estimating 270,000 people could flee into South Sudan and Chad alone.
Foreigners evacuated from Khartoum have described bodies littering streets, buildings on fire, residential areas turned into battlefields and youths roaming with large knives. Foreigners evacuated from Khartoum have described bodies littering streets, buildings on fire, residential areas turned into battlefields and young people roaming with large knives.
“It was horrible,” said Thanassis Pagoulatos, the 80-year-old Greek owner of the Acropole hotel in Khartoum, after arriving in Athens to be greeted by relatives.“It was horrible,” said Thanassis Pagoulatos, the 80-year-old Greek owner of the Acropole hotel in Khartoum, after arriving in Athens to be greeted by relatives.
“It has been more than 10 days without any electricity, without water, and five days nearly without food,” he added, describing shooting and bombing. “Really, the people are suffering, the Sudanese people.”“It has been more than 10 days without any electricity, without water, and five days nearly without food,” he added, describing shooting and bombing. “Really, the people are suffering, the Sudanese people.”
Beyond the humanitarian crisis, civilian groups fear the violence will enable the military to tighten its grip and revive the sway of an ousted autocrat’s loyalists. Aid agencies have called for the international focus to now switch from evacuations to the broader humanitarian crisis.
The army said Omar al-Bashir, the 79-year-old former dictator toppled in 2019, had been transferred from Khartoum’s Kober prison to a military hospital, along with at least five of his former officials, before hostilities started. “While swift evacuations from Sudan have helped thousands, what about the … Sudanese who remain in the country? A rapid surge of humanitarian aid is the key to helping millions in Sudan,” said David Miliband, president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee.
Over the weekend, thousands of inmates were freed outright from prison, including a former minister in Bashir’s government who, like him, is wanted on war crimes charges by the international criminal court in The Hague. “European leaders are focused on evacuating their citizens, but there is no time to waste in shifting focus on supporting and protecting those who remain.”
Bashir’s three-decade reign came to an end with a popular uprising four years ago. He has been in prison, with spells in hospital, on Sudanese charges related to the 1989 coup that brought him to power. Civilian groups fear the violence will enable the military to tighten its grip and revive the sway of an ousted autocrat’s loyalists. Hopes for a democratic transition in Sudan were raised when Omar al-Bashir, the 79-year-old former dictator was ousted in 2019 after months of popular protest.
Bashir has been in prison, with spells in hospital, on Sudanese charges related to the 1989 coup that brought him to power. He is also wanted by the International Criminal Court to face charges of war crimes related to widespread abuses during counter-insurgency campaigns in Darfur 20 years ago.
On Wednesday, the army said Bashir had been transferred from Khartoum’s Kober prison to a military hospital, along with at least five of his former officials, before hostilities started.
Analysts said the move was part of a broader hope of many loyal to Burhan that they would be able to reinstate many aspects of Bashir’s repressive regime under a new leader.
Over the weekend, thousands of inmates were freed outright from prison, including a former minister in Bashir’s government who, like him, is wanted on war crimes charges by The Hague.