First modification:
Fighting between the two factions continues for the third consecutive week in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum; And the shelling and crossfire have reached nearby cities such as Bahri and Ombdurman, despite the fact that the groups had agreed to a 72-hour extension to the ceasefire, which would expire on Sunday night. The evacuations continue and UNHCR warns about the migration that would take place.
At least 512 people have died during this escalation of the conflict in Sudan and more than 4,000 have been injured during the fighting since it began on April 15, according to a recent report by the Sudanese Doctors Union, although the United Nations estimates that the figures they would be higher.
Despite international efforts by countries such as the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Kingdom and Norway to achieve a temporary ceasefire, which would allow the evacuations of civilians from the capital, hostilities between the two factions continue.
In Khartoum, a large part of the civilian population wants to flee the conflict between the army and the FAR. However, evacuations are not available for thousands of Sudanese nationals, who have become refugees trying to safeguard their integrity from the conflict.
On Tuesday, the spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Olga Sarrado, warned the international community that the conflict in Sudan could cause thousands of people to flee the country, fleeing the war, especially to Chad and Sudan. South, neighboring countries.
“The planning figure we have for the most likely scenario is 125,000 South Sudanese refugee returns to South Sudan and 45,000 refugees,” UNHCR South Sudan Director Marie-Helene Verney said.
In addition, the institution calculates that more than 20,000 people have already crossed the border with Chad in search of refuge, a country that is in a complex situation after experiencing an internal conflict just two years ago.
United Nations opens a possibility to negotiate peace
The war continues to be felt but the special representative of the United Nations in Sudan, Volker Perthes, has expressed that there is a perceived “change of attitude” in both factions regarding a possible round of negotiations to end the conflict, although there is still no agreed date to start a possible peace process.
The United Nations special representative in Sudan stated that the Sudanese army and the FAR have nominated some representatives to start negotiations, which could put an end to the conflict. The UN suggests Saudi Arabia or South Sudan as tentative venues for possible peace talks.
“Both sides believe they are going to win, but both are more open to negotiations, the word ‘negotiations’ or ‘talks’ was not present in their speech for the first week,” Perthes said.
However, on Friday, Abdel Fattah Burhan said he would “never sit down” with the “rebel” leader of the FAR, alluding to Hemedti. For their part, the Rapid Support Forces have declared on multiple occasions that they would negotiate once the army’s hostilities ceased.
Evacuations continue
The international community continues to evacuate its citizens and diplomatic representatives from Khartoum. The latest country to do so was the United Arab Emirates, which transported 128 people, including British and US citizens, to Abu Dhabi airport from Khartoum.
For their part, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Canada, the United States and Germany have declared that they will continue to send planes and ships to extract their citizens in the coming weeks.
On the other hand, Japan, China, India, Switzerland and South Africa mention that all their nationals have been evacuated from Sudanese territory.
With Reuters, AP and local media.
