United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan following the outbreak of fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
“The Secretary-General calls on the leaders of the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces to immediately cease hostilities, restore calm and engage in dialogue to resolve the current crisis,” his spokesperson said in a statement.
The UN chief stressed that any further escalation in fighting will have a devastating effect on civilians and further worsen the already precarious humanitarian situation in the country.
Calling on UN member states in the region to support efforts to restore order and return to the path of transition, Guterres reaffirmed the international organization’s commitment to support the Sudanese people in their efforts to “restore a democratic transition and realize its aspirations to build a peaceful and secure future”.
The Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane, has announced that it has struck the bases of paramilitaries who say they have taken control of the airport and the presidential palace in Khartoum.
For their part, General Mohamed Hamdane Daglo’s Rapid Support Forces ensure that they hold the international airport and the presidential palace and call on the entire population, including the soldiers, to turn against the army.