the first violations of the truce occur fifteen minutes after it enters into force

2023-04-18 19:36:05

The area of ​​the presidential palace and the general command of the Sudanese Army, in the center of Khartoum, have been the scene of explosions and gunshots just after the entry into force of the 24 hour truce proposed by the United States, some witnesses reported.

These clashes between the Sudanese Army and the powerful Rapid Support Forces (FAR) paramilitary group began just afterfifteen minutes later of the entry into force of the truce, according to the same sources. Likewise, the FAR accused the Sudanese Army of violate the armistice that both parties to the conflict had agreed to.

The paramilitaries denounced that “the Armed Forces still insist on committing the most abominable crimes against civilians in violation of international humanitarian law and the rules of engagement, violating the truce agreed by international mediation”, according to a statement published on his official Twitter account.

The group led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, alias “Hemedti”, the strongman of Sudan, assured that they searched during the first minutes of the announced truce “sporadic attacks” against their units in some areas of Khartoum, specifically in “the areas of the headquarters of the general command and the east of the Nile”. For this reason, they announced that the “coup forces”, in reference to the Army, “they have no commitment” with the international community

This has been the first armistice 24 hours since the start of the fighting four days ago in Sudan, as both parties had agreed in the previous days truces of a few hours to allow civilians caught in the crossfire could be evacuated and they went out to the streets to stock up, although the fighting did not stop either.

270 civilians killed

These intense fighting have left at least 270 civilians killed and more than 2,000 injured, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), citing the emergency operations center of the Sudanese Ministry of Health.

Within the framework of the Foreign Affairs meeting that the Group of Seven held in the Japanese city of Karuizawa, the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, called for a 24-hour ceasefire that would allow civilians to “return to their families safely and get the emergency supplies they desperately need.

The clashes, which began on the 15th between the rival military leaders, take place after weeks of tensions over the security forces reform during negotiations for a new transitional government, which has brought the African country to the brink of civil war.