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On Friday, Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) declared a 72-hour truce, despite continuous skirmishes with the Sudanese Army.
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“The truce coincides with the blessed Eid al-Fitr… to open humanitarian corridors to evacuate citizens and give them the opportunity to greet their families,” the RSF said in a statement.
There was no immediate comment from the army. Before Friday, however, two declared 24-hour ceasefires had failed to take hold. Amid the ongoing fighting, the United Nations (UN) continued to appeal to the RSF and Sudanese Army to strike a deal.
On Thursday, United Nations Secretary Antonio Guterres called for a three-day ceasefire in Sudan to allow trapped civilians “to allow civilians trapped in conflict zones to escape and to seek medical treatment, food and other essential supplies.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported at least 413 people killed during six days of fighting. Another 3,200 people were injured. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said that nine children were reportedly killed and over 50 children were injured.
UNICEF Director Catherine Russell said the perilous security situation across Sudan makes it very difficult to collect and verify information. But she is certain that while the fighting continues, children will continue to pay the price.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said people have been unable to safely leave their homes to buy food and other essentials for days now.
Humanitarian pauses must be ensured to enable the safe passage of civilians so that they can seek medical care and access basic provisions.
