The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called for immediate humanitarian access on Wednesday to the Sudanese capital of Khartoum amid fighting between the army and the paramilitary
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th April, 2023) The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called for immediate humanitarian access on Wednesday to the Sudanese capital of Khartoum amid fighting between the army and the paramilitary.
"It is highly distressing hearing reports of civilian casualties and bodies left lying in the streets of Khartoum. They need to be collected and treated with dignity. We are calling for unimpeded humanitarian access immediately," ICRC Regional Director for Africa Patrick Youssef said.
Clashes between Sudan's regular armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been raging since last weekend. ICRC says fighting left hospitals in Khartoum without power, water or enough medical supplies. Unrest has also been reported in other parts of the country.
Osama Abubakr Osman, communication director of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society, said he feared the healthcare system might collapse. Volunteers have been providing first aid in clinics and hospitals but they too are working in extreme conditions, he said.
The Rapid Support Forces announced a 24-hour ceasefire starting from 6 p.m. (16:00 GMT) on Wednesday, a day after the previous attempt at a truce failed shortly after the ceasefire was due to take effect.
Sudan was to transition to civilian rule after the overthrow of its longtime leader Omar Bashir in 2019, but that process has been repeatedly derailed by infighting. ICRC says years of instability and economic turmoil have left millions struggling to meet their basic needs.
