Intense Clashes Around Sudan's Capital; Ceasefire Again Violated

Intense clashes resumed around Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, early Thursday despite a one-week ceasefire that both warring parties had agreed to. It appears that both the Sudanese army and the paramilitary 'Rapid Support Forces' are trying to take control of areas around the presidential palace and the army headquarters in central Khartoum. The South Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday that General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the army commander, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, had agreed to a new ceasefire. The fighting resumed as Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, called on Wednesday for an end to the war and international support for the people of Sudan who are facing 'a humanitarian catastrophe.' Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, he said, 'We urgently need a safe passage to distribute aid to those who need it most.' Mr. Guterres emphasized the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as respect for humanitarian workers and their equipment. He urged the international community to pressure the two generals to respect and implement the ceasefire this time, given the ongoing violations of previous ceasefires. Two African leaders also expressed concern that the internal conflict in Sudan could affect the entire region. Salva Kiir, the President of South Sudan, stressed the need for a longer ceasefire and the announcement of mediators for peace acceptable to both sides. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the President of Egypt, also stated his support for negotiations between rival factions while being cautious not to interfere in Sudan's internal matters. The UN Refugee Agency announced this week that due to the conflict, at least 334,000 people have been displaced within Sudan, and 100,000 have fled the country. This international body warned that the conflict could lead to the flight of over 800,000 people to neighboring countries, including Chad, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, Egypt, and Ethiopia. According to reports, Martin Griffiths, the UN humanitarian chief, spent Wednesday in Port Sudan, where he and Volker Perthes, the head of the UN office in Sudan, spoke by phone with Generals Burhan and Dagalo. Martin Griffiths stated that he is seeking commitments from both warring factions to ensure the security of humanitarian aid, aid workers, and their logistics, even when there is no formal ceasefire. Currently, due to insecurity, most aid operations have been reduced or suspended. The Norwegian Refugee Council announced on Wednesday that one of its Sudanese volunteers was killed in the troubled city of 'Geneina' in West Darfur. Looting and theft have also complicated aid operations. The World Food Programme reported on Wednesday that 17,000 tons of food were looted from its warehouses in Sudan. This organization also announced plans to provide food assistance to 384,000 people in the coming days. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies also announced on Thursday that it has made an emergency appeal in support of the Sudanese Red Crescent to provide assistance to 200,000 people. John Kirby stated: The situation in Sudan is very fragile; negotiations between the parties are likely in Saudi Arabia. The UN Secretary-General stated: Sudan is facing a humanitarian disaster. Looting of aid trucks in Sudan; the UN calls for 'safe passage' for aid shipments. The continuation of the war in Sudan; refugees face many difficulties in Egypt.