Guterres calls for the cessation of fighting in Sudan fearing a “devastating” escalation

“The humanitarian situation in Sudan was already precarious and now it is catastrophic,” says the UN Secretary General

17 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –

The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has called on Monday for the cessation of fighting between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have so far left nearly a hundred civilians dead, regardless of the casualties. among the fighting forces.

“I strongly condemn the outbreak of fighting taking place in Sudan and call on the leaders of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to immediately cease hostilities, restore calm and begin dialogue to resolve the crisis,” he said.

Guterres has stated, before inaugurating the Forum for Development Financing, that the outbreak of violence “has already caused a horrible loss of life, including civilians.” “Any further escalation could be devastating for the country and the region,” he said.

In this sense, he has urged the parties to “support the efforts to put an end to the violence, restore order and return to the path of transition.” “The humanitarian situation in Sudan was already precarious and now it is catastrophic,” she said.

Guterres, who has spoken over the weekend with the head of the Sudanese Army, Abdelfatá al Burhan, as well as with the leader of the RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, alias ‘Hemedti’, is in “active” contact with the Union League, the Arab League, as well as with the leaders of the region”.

“I condemn the deaths and injuries of both civilians and humanitarian workers, as well as the attacks and looting. I remind all parties of the need to respect International Law, which includes guaranteeing the safety of all United Nations personnel, personnel partner and humanitarian workers”, has settled.

For their part, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union and the United Nations have issued a joint statement in which they also urge the parties to a “humanitarian pause” that was not fulfilled the day before “in its entirety “.

“The pause would provide an opportunity to allow civilians trapped in conflict zones to access critical assistance and supplies, receive medical assistance or escape safely. Only the Sudanese Armed Forces and RSF have the power to ensure the pause is maintained. and can guarantee the protection of civilians,” they added.

The main civil organizations and political parties in Sudan have demanded in unison over the weekend not only the end of the fighting, but also the end of the “militarization” that has dominated “the public space” of the country for decades and, in In particular, since the overthrow four years ago of the dictator Omar Hasan al Bashir after a revolution in which civilians were an instrumental part.

Before the outbreak of the fighting, the African country was governed by a junta led by the head of the Army, whose “number two” was the military leader of the RSF. The discrepancies between the two regarding the integration of the paramilitaries in a future unified Army — an agreement prior to the formation of a new unity government led by civilians — ended up degenerating into this conflict.