Thousands of civilians have fled Sudan’s capital Khartoum, and foreign nations are trying to evacuate their citizens, amid a fifth day of fierce fighting. People are leaving Khartoum in cars and on foot, as gunfire and deafening explosions rocked the city.
Meanwhile, officials in Japan and Tanzania have announced that they are considering missions to evacuate their citizens. The exodus follows Tuesday’s collapsed ceasefire between the warring factions.
The Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had agreed a 24-hour humanitarian ceasefire on Tuesday, but the truce collapsed within minutes of its proposed 16:00 GMT launch. A new ceasefire has now been put forward by the RSF for 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT) on Wednesday April 19, 2023, but the army has yet to commit to the proposal.
Civilians began fleeing the capital on early Wednesday morning, after fighting resumed and Khartoum was covered in thick black smoke, following explosions near the army headquarters.
In Khartoum, heavily armed Rapid Support Forces fighters patrolled the city on pick-up trucks, while the Army’s fighter jets conducted strikes on targets believed to be held by the paramilitary forces.
Shortage of fuel and lack of public transports have made many of those fleeing from the clashes, to do so on foot, with some seeking to get passage to central and western Sudan, where their families live on flatbed trucks.
One local fleeing the capital said, the Rapid Support Forces had set up checkpoints on roads around the city, and some of its fighters had robbed him, stealing his phone and some money.
Robberies have also been reported in areas of the capital itself. On Tuesday, residents of the Khartoum area complained that, the RSF militia had been going house-to-house in the neighbourhood demanding water and food.
Tanzania’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Stergomena Tax, told the parliament that his government is also considering possible means to evacuate 210 Tanzanians from Sudan.
However, the US embassy in Khartoum said “the uncertain security situation” in the capital meant there were no plans for a “US government-coordinated evacuation.”
Moreover, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has advised locals calling for help, to stay put and avoid putting themselves in the line of fire.
“Whoever calls, we tell them the truth, Look, right now it’s a challenge to get you out, and it’s better and safer to stay where you are,” Farid Abdulkadir, the organization’s Chief in Sudan, stated.
Death Toll Could Be Higher, Experts Say
The death toll caused by the fighting is unclear, but the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD) said on Tuesday that at least 174 civilians had been killed in the violence.
In a joint statement, the US, EU, UK and twelve other nations said, the death toll had reached 270. However, experts say the figure could be higher, with many wounded and unable to reach hospitals, which have reportedly been shelled and out of service.
The statement issued by the US embassy in Khartoum, also condemned “attacks directed against civilians, diplomats, and humanitarian actors” and said “Sudan’s military leaders must engage in dialogue without delay”
“We emphasise that, a comprehensive and a lasting settlement of the differences between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, is an urgent priority which can be achieved only by peaceful political dialogue,” the statement added.
Tanzeel Khan, an Indian national working in Khartoum claimed that the airstrikes in the city were putting civilian lives at risk. “Since this morning, the airstrikes in this area have intensified and we do not know when they’re going to hit our building,” he said. “There are around 15 other people living in the same building who are facing similar difficulties,” he added.
Elsewhere, the EU disclosed on Wednesday that, its Ambassador to Sudan had resumed his duties after being assaulted by fighters in the capital on Monday. A spokesperson for the European Commission said, Ambassador O’Hara was attacked after unidentified “armed men wearing military fatigues” stormed his residence in Khartoum.
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