Sudan: Fighting continues as the UN issues a 'catastrophe' warning
Despite the most recent cease-fire, fierce fighting continued between rival generals in Sudan on Tuesday, despite the increasing number of warnings about the possibility of a "catastrophic" humanitarian crisis involving hundreds of thousands of refugees.
Since April 15, when armed clashes broke out between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the regular army, and Mohamed Daglo, his deputy turned enemy and commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, bloodshed has engulfed Sudan.
Air strikes and artillery exchanges that have gripped large portions of greater Khartoum have resulted in hundreds of fatalities and tens of thousands of injuries, forcing thousands of Sudanese to flee to neighboring nations.
Many more are stranded in the five million-person city due to a lack of food, water, and energy because they cannot afford the difficult travel to Sudan's borders.
One resident in south Khartoum reported hearing sporadic gunfire, a warplane's roar, and anti-aircraft fire directed at it.
Abdou Dieng, the chief UN relief officer in Sudan, warned that the situation was escalating into "a full-blown catastrophe" in a briefing on Monday.
The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union, and the international community had all called for a cease-fire, but the fighting had reached "catastrophic levels," according to Kenyan President William Ruto.
During a virtual meeting with top UN representatives, Ruto stressed the necessity of finding ways to deliver humanitarian aid "with or without a ceasefire".
Burhan and Daglo have repeatedly broken ceasefires, the most recent being a 72-hour extension signed late on Sunday. Their feud began after Burhan and Daglo staged a military coup in 2021 that prevented Sudan from moving toward elective civilian leadership.
Governments from other countries have rushed to remove their citizens. In operations that are finally coming to an end, hundreds of foreigners have been transported to safety by air or water during the past ten days.
On Tuesday, the Russian military announced that more than 200 individuals were being evacuated from Sudan on four military transport aircraft.
Onboard two ships, one of which was a US Navy ship and the other Saudi, around 500 passengers arrived on Monday in the Saudi port of Jeddah.
What's Your Reaction?
