The World Health Organization has urged warring factions in Sudan to pause their fighting to enable people to get basic necessities and allow health care workers to reach those in need of care.
In comments to reporters made remotely from Cairo, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Ahmed Al-Mandhar, said about 330 people have been killed and about 3,200 others injured since fighting broke out April 15 between the armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan.
In spite of a second 24-hour cease-fire agreement that began late Wednesday, Khartoum and other cities continue to witness heavy fighting. The WHO reports the fighting has restricted movement in the capital, creating challenges for doctors and other health care workers to reach patients.
Al-Mandhari urged the warring factions to implement a “sustained humanitarian pause as soon as possible” to allow citizens trapped by the fighting to seek refuge, food, water, medicines and medical attention, and so that health care workers can do their jobs.
Citing Sudan’s minister of health, the WHO regional chief also reported Thursday that 20 hospitals have been forced to close due to “attacks or lack of resources, and an additional eight health facilities are at risk of closing due to staff fatigue or lack of medical doctors and supplies.”
He also said there are reports of increasing assaults on health workers, military occupation of hospitals, and looting and hijacking of ambulances, as well reports of sexual assaults on international humanitarian workers, all of which he described as “deeply disturbing.”
Al-Mandhari said before the fighting broke out, nearly 16 million people in Sudan—one third of the population—needed humanitarian assistance.
“We are observing a traumatic deterioration of what is already a very difficult humanitarian situation,” he said.
In Washington late Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called for both sides to respect the truce, "renounce violence and return to negotiations." She said the country's two top generals, whose forces have turned the capital into a war zone for the past five days, "are responsible for ensuring the protection of civilians and noncombatants."
Civilians flee fighting
Hamad Haj, a former professor at the University of Khartoum, told VOA that despite the attempts at ceasefires, "the last few days were really miserable."
He said sporadic fighting is still going on including at the national palace, the military headquarters, and the airport.
Haj told VOA that stray bullets had killed two of his neighbors in the northern part of Omdurman, about 8 kilometers away from the military base of Wadi Saidna.
"We had to withdraw from that area, and we came to our family house in Saura," Haj said. "Since that time, we are safe as a family. We still require some water and food rations. But since yesterday local vendors and sellers were starting to move around within the area,” said Haj.
Kenyan President Samuel Ruto broke his silence and addressed the nation on Wednesday evening saying his country was concerned.
“Kenya is deeply alarmed that a misunderstanding over a single item in the political framework agreement, mainly the timeframe for the integration of the Rapid Support Forces into the Sudan Armed Forces, has degenerated into violent conflict,” he said.
Ruto implored the leadership of both fighting parties to ensure full compliance with the resolution of the Intergovernmental Authority for Development, or IGAD, Heads of State emergency summit held last Sunday which included an immediate cessation of hostilities.
“…Allowing unrestricted humanitarian access and extending full cooperation to the IGAD heads of state mission when it visits Khartoum,” he said.
Ruto and two other leaders from the IGAD bloc (Salva Kirr & Omar Guelleh) are slated to visit Khartoum to mediate the crisis.
Seif Magango, spokesperson for U.N.’s office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, told VOA it’s a tragic situation.
“It’s really a very difficult situation, people are still trapped in their homes and unable to find food, water, and medical supplies. It’s difficult to move personnel and humanitarian workers around,” said Magango.
He also said the fighting should cease immediately.
“That’s what the High Commissioner for Human Rights is urging both sides to really think about the people of Sudan. Stop the bloodshed, the talks were progressing, and they were promising and there was hope there would be a political agreement in no time. So bottom line is, you are fighting, during the fighting itself, respect international humanitarian law, protect civilians and ensure there is no attacks on humanitarian workers.”
Some information for this article came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
