The death toll from fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has reached 180 and over 1,800 civilians are injured…reports Asian Lite News
Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Sudanese Armed Forces’ Commander General Abdel Fattah al Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, calling for the ceasefire to permit the delivery of humanitarian assistance, the State Department said.
“Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke separately today with General Abdel Fattah al Burhan, Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Commander of the Rapid Support Forces, and underscored the urgency of reaching a ceasefire to permit the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those affected by the fighting, the reunification of Sudanese families, and allow the international community in Khartoum to make sure its presence is secure,” said Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel in a statement on Monday.
“The Secretary expressed his grave concern about the death and injury of so many Sudanese civilians due to the sustained, indiscriminate fighting, and stressed the responsibility of the two generals to ensure the safety and well-being of civilians, diplomatic personnel, and humanitarian workers,” it added.
The death toll from fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has reached 180 and over 1,800 civilians and combatants were injured.
The fighting has left many of the five million residents of the capital, Khartoum, stranded at home without electricity or water as they marked the last few days of Ramzan, the Muslim holy month when many fast daily from dawn until dusk.
Overwhelmed medical facilities have been targeted, including a major medical centre northeast of Khartoum that was shelled, evacuated and shut down. More than a dozen hospitals have shuttered.
The European Union’s ambassador to Sudan, Aidan O’Hara, was assaulted in his residency in Khartoum on Monday afternoon, the EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell Fontelles, said on Twitter.
It was not immediately known who attacked him, but a spokeswoman for the bloc said the ambassador was “fine.”
It was still not clear who, if anyone, was in control of the country. The clashes, which erupted on Saturday, have pitted a paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces against the Sudanese Army, a longstanding rivalry between Sudan’s two top generals who have been vying for dominance.
EU ambassador assaulted
Meanwhile, a European Union ambassador was assaulted by the members of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group inside his residence in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan on Monday afternoon, two Western officials said.
The EU’s ambassador to Sudan, Aidan O’Hara, is a diplomat from Ireland, and was not injured after armed men barged in, threatened him at gunpoint and stole money, said the officials on the condition of anonymity for security reasons.
The officials added that the assailants were identified by their uniforms and because the group were controlling the nearby streets.
In a text message, a spokeswoman for the European Union said that O’Hara was doing “fine.” She, however, did not provide more details.
The assault is a sign of how Sudan’s security situation had deteriorated. People were hiding inside their homes around the nation out of concern for their safety. It appeared to not stop with O’Hara. The gunmen were forcing UN staff members out of their houses in Khartoum, according to UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borell Fontelles, tweeted, “A few hours ago, the EU Ambassador in Sudan was assaulted in his own residency. The assault constitutes a gross violation of the Vienna Convention. Security of diplomatic premises and staff is a primary responsibility of Sudanese authorities and an obligation under international law.”
John Kirby, a spokesman for the National Security Council, said US Embassy officials in Sudan were hunkered down at their official residences amid the escalating violence. “All US government personnel are accounted for,” he added.
The fighting has left many of the five million residents of the capital, Khartoum, stranded at home without electricity or water as they marked the last few days of Ramzan, the Muslim holy month when many fast daily from dawn until dusk.
The Sudanese military, after 18 months of its coup, had promised to cede control to a civilian-led government this month. Yet, the process has been dominated by a rivalry between General al-Burhan and General Hamdan, also known as Hemeti. (ANI)
