Space Travel News
AFRICA NEWS
Fighting rages in Darfur as Sudan mediators report progress
Fighting rages in Darfur as Sudan mediators report progress
by AFP Staff Writers
Khartoum (AFP) May 26, 2023

Fierce fighting between rival Sudanese forces on Friday rocked the western region of Darfur, witnesses said, as US and Saudi observers noted "improved respect" for a fragile ceasefire now in its fourth day.

Within minutes of the ceasefire taking effect late Monday, witnesses in the capital Khartoum reported air strikes and gunshots.

The one-week truce is the latest in a series of agreements that have all been systematically violated, with the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) accusing each other of more breaches this week.

The United States and Saudi Arabia, which brokered the latest deal, reported "serious violations" since it took effect, particularly on Wednesday.

Washington has threatened sanctions for breaches detected by its "monitoring mechanism", but has not yet targeted either side.

The conflict, which erupted on April 15, pits Sudan's de facto leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.

In a joint statement Friday, the mediators "noted improved respect for the agreement" but said there was nevertheless "isolated gunfire in Khartoum".

As civilians, aid groups and mediators pleaded for a stop to the fighting, Sudan's defence ministry issued a call to arms.

In a statement Friday, it called on "army pensioners... as well as all those capable of bearing arms" to head to their nearest military command unit and "arm themselves in order to protect themselves," their families and their neighbours.

- Medical supplies -

The fighting across Sudan has killed more than 1,800 people, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.

The United Nations says more than a million people have been displaced within Sudan, in addition to 300,000 who have fled to neighbouring countries.

Increasingly desperate civilians have been waiting for brief lulls in fighting to flee or for assistance to flow through as battles have left the capital with intermittent supplies of food, water and electricity.

The International Committee of the Red Cross announced Thursday it had finally been able to begin distributing aid to "seven hospitals in Khartoum".

An already strained healthcare system has been decimated by the war, with the vast majority of hospitals out of service in Khartoum and Darfur, which together have seen the worst of the fighting.

The few hospitals that have not been bombed, attacked or occupied by fighters have almost entirely run out of supplies.

Conditions are particularly dire in Darfur, on the western border with Chad, a region already ravaged by a brutal two-decade war that erupted in 2003 and saw then president Omar al-Bashir unleash the feared Janjaweed militia to crush a rebellion among ethnic minority groups.

The RSF traces its origins to the Janjaweed.

In El Fasher, capital of North Darfur state, residents reported "battles with all types of weapons" on Friday.

- 'Race against time' -

Even before the conflict began, one-third of Sudan's 45 million people relied on aid to survive.

Now, some 25 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, the UN said.

"Without immediate action, life-saving activities in many parts of Sudan may be put on hold," said Ahmed Abdelrahman, Brussels operations director at Doctors Without Borders (MSF), warning medics in the country were "stretched beyond their limit".

"Our surgical team in Khartoum, for example, has been operating non-stop for more than ten days. If we are unable to rotate in another team, it may not be possible to continue these crucial activities," Abdelrahman said in a statement Friday.

The Islamic Relief aid group also warned on Friday that "humanitarian agencies face a race against time to deliver aid to people before the rainy season makes parts of the country inaccessible".

The rainy season, which begins in June, also raises the risk of cholera, malaria and water-borne diseases.

Alfonso Verdu Perez, head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan, said getting supplies through to civilians "is a matter of life and death".

"Only 20 percent of health facilities in Khartoum are still functioning -- a true collapse of the system right when it's needed the most," he warned.

"Hospitals also urgently need water, electricity and a safe environment for their patients and staff," Perez said, with medical personnel reporting intimidation, threats and attacks by both sides.

The army accused the RSF Friday of "storming" and "looting" a children's hospital.

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
AFRICA NEWS
In Sudan's capital, risking death in search of water
Khartoum (AFP) May 26, 2023
Fighting in Sudan has left hundreds of thousands of Khartoum residents without running water, with some forced to risk their lives and seek it out during brief lulls in violence. After nearly six weeks of street battles between forces loyal to rival generals and with temperatures regularly topping 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), many inhabitants of the capital's northern suburbs are in desperate need of drinking water. On April 15, when fighting broke out between Sudan's army and th ... read more

AFRICA NEWS
AFRICA NEWS
Hitting the road after three weeks at Ubajara: Sols 3839-3840

MAHLI works the night shift: Sols 3837-3838

Ancient northern ocean on Mars evidenced by in situ observations of marine sedimentary rocks

A deep underground lab could hold key to habitability on Mars

AFRICA NEWS
NASA's LRO views impact site of HAKUTO-R lunar lander

Georgia Tech to lead NASA Center on Lunar Research and Exploration

NASA selects Blue Origin as 2nd Artemis Lunar Lander Provider

Advanced Space completes 6-month CAPSTONE primary mission at the Moon for NASA

AFRICA NEWS
First observation of a Polar Cyclone on Uranus

Research 'solves' mystery of Jupiter's stunning colour changes

NASA's Juno mission closing in on Io

Pioneer 11, launched 50 years ago, helped solve mysteries of the universe

AFRICA NEWS
Chemistry: Meteoritic and volcanic particles may have promoted origin of life reactions

Global team simulates message from extraterrestrial intelligence to Earth

NASA's Spitzer, TESS find potentially volcano-covered Earth-size world

Astronomers observe the first radiation belt seen outside of our solar system

AFRICA NEWS
Designing a next generation hypersonic demonstrator

NASA continues key test series with rocket engine hot fire

Rocket Lab scoops up Virgin Orbit Long Beach California assets

South Korea postpones third launch of homegrown rocket

AFRICA NEWS
China prepares to send first civilian into space

Shenzhou XVI mission to launch in days

China's next space exploration to feature new faces

"Tianzhou Express" is online again, with five highlights

AFRICA NEWS
OSIRIS-REx Recovery Team Motto: 'Practice, Practice, Practice'

Bennu and some of the biggest science questions of our generation

Astronomers want your help hunting for asteroids

Webb finds water, and a new mystery, in rare main-belt comet

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.