UN Secretary General António Guterres on Monday called on the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group to “immediately cease hostilities”, stressing that a further escalation of the conflict could be devastating for the country.
“I strongly condemn the outbreak of fighting taking place in Sudan and I call on the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to immediately cease hostilities, restore calm and start a dialogue to resolve the crisis,” said the leader. the United Nations (UN) at the opening of a Forum on Financing for Development, in New York.
According to Guterres, the situation has already led to “horrific losses of life”, including many civilians, so any further escalation could be devastating for the country and the region.
“I urge all those who have influence over the situation to use it in favor of peace, to support efforts to end the violence, restore order and return to the path of transition,” the former prime minister urged. Portuguese.
The humanitarian situation in Sudan, Guterres recalled, “was already precarious and now it is catastrophic.”
“I condemn the deaths and injuries of civilians and aid workers and the attack and looting of facilities. I remind all parties of the need to respect international law, including ensuring the safety of all United Nations personnel, partner organizations and humanitarian workers. ,” he said.
The UN leader indicated that throughout the weekend he maintained contact with the Sudanese authorities, ensuring that he is actively involved with the African Union, the Arab League and leaders of the entire region in the face of this conflict.
“I reaffirm that the United Nations stands with the people of Sudan at this very difficult time, with full support in their efforts to restore the democratic transition and build a peaceful and secure future,” he concluded.
This Monday, Sudan entered the third consecutive day of clashes, which continue to hit Khartoum and other regions in the north and west of the country.
The army said on Sunday that the overall situation was “very stable” and that there had been only “limited clashes” with the RFS, mainly in the Sudanese capital.
The armed forces claim to control most of the military installations and vital infrastructure in Khartoum, and have seized the strategic Merowe airport in northern Sudan, as well as much of the troubled area of Kordofan and other regions of the RF. .
Faced with the escalation of violence in densely populated cities, the Army and the RFS accepted on Sunday a UN proposal to establish humanitarian corridors and cease fighting in residential areas for a brief period of three hours, which allowed the evacuation of more than thousand residents of the capital, sources from the Sudanese Red Crescent told Efe.
According to Sudan’s Central Medical Committee, at least 97 civilians were killed and 942 others injured during the weekend’s fighting.
Source: TSF
