In Sudan there is hope that a three-day ceasefire between the two parties to the conflict, which was due to expire on Monday night, could be extended. The paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said on Sunday afternoon that they were in favor of extending the ceasefire by 72 hours. The armed forces initially did not comment.
The aim is to keep humanitarian corridors open so that people can get essentials and get to safe areas. The decision is a reaction to international and regional demands. The army initially had no comment.
The ceasefire brought a certain normality back to parts of the embattled capital Khartoum at the weekend, but remained fragile overall. Eyewitnesses reported that the police were patrolling the streets again – among other things to prevent looting. Only a few shots were heard. However, there were also reports of sporadic fighting from some parts of the city. The two parties to the conflict accused each other of not complying with the ceasefire.
Great Britain announces further evacuation
The British government announced another evacuation flight for Monday to bring compatriots from Port Sudan to safety in Great Britain. “We are doing everything in our power to achieve a long-term ceasefire, a stable transition to civilian rule and an end to violence in Sudan,” said Secretary of State James Cleverly. So far, 2,122 people have been flown out on 23 flights from Wadi Saeedna Airport near the capital Khartoum. The British government had actually emphasized that the mission was over.
The Irish government announced that a total of 209 citizens had been evacuated from Sudan.
According to US government sources, a US Navy ship has also arrived in the city’s port to help evacuate Americans. Hundreds of US citizens would probably be evacuated with the transport ship.
The first aid package from the International Committee of the Red Cross arrives in Sudan
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has flown around eight tons of medical supplies to battle-torn Sudan. The organization’s first international aid transport since heavy fighting began two weeks ago will help care for thousands of people who have suffered gunshot wounds, the ICRC said on Sunday.
The relief supplies – including anesthetics, bandages and surgical material – were brought by plane from Jordan to the port city of Port Sudan. Another machine with additional supplies and emergency services should follow soon, it said.
According to the Sudanese Medical Committee, many hospitals are no longer functional as a result of the fighting. There is also a lack of medicines, medical supplies and blood supplies. According to the authorities, more than 500 people have already died in the fighting and almost 5,000 have been injured.
In the north-east African country with around 46 million inhabitants, the de facto President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan has been fighting with the help of the armed forces since April 15 against his deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, who leads the influential RSF paramilitaries. The two generals had taken over the leadership of Sudan through two joint military coups in 2019 and 2021. (Reuters/dpa)
