by The special envoy and head of the United Nations mission in Sudan condemned on Tuesday evening, addressing the Security Council, that the warring parties in the northeast African state “do not respect the right of the war” by launching attacks against populated areas without regard to fate. civilians.
“The two belligerents are fighting in defiance of the law and the rules of war, attacking densely populated areas, caring little for civilians, hospitals, or even vehicles transporting the wounded and sick,” said Volker Pertes.
The 72-hour ceasefire agreement announced by the United States on Monday between the forces of General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the country’s de facto leader after an October 2021 military coup, and the former second in command of the military junta, General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, or “Hameti”, leader of the paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF), was only partially observed in Khartoum.
But in the capital, the fighting around “strategic places” not only “continued” but in some cases “intensified”, underlined Mr. Pertes, who spoke from Port-Sudan (east), where the he UN hastily transferred some of its staff from its mission.
“There is currently no clear indication that either (general) is ready to genuinely negotiate, suggesting that both believe that military dominance over the other side remains possible,” continued the German diplomat.
Sudan will be lost
It is a “miscalculation”, added the special envoy, who takes over in 2021. “Even if either side wins, Sudan will lose”, he insisted.
The war that broke out in Sudan on April 15 “causes a humanitarian catastrophe” and “the citizens are paying the price”, underlined Mr. Pertes.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, describing ten “harrowing” days of “violence and chaos”, reiterated his concern at the generalization and extension of the armed conflict.
“Sudan’s seven neighboring countries have all been involved over the past decade in conflicts or widespread political unrest,” he recalled.
“Sudan’s power struggle not only threatens the country’s future. It ignites a spark that could explode beyond its borders, causing enormous suffering for years and stunting development for decades,” he said. warned Mr. Guterres.
The country of 46 million inhabitants with a basement rich in gold and oil remains one of the poorest in the world.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 460 people have been killed and more than 4,100 injured since the fighting began. The actual death toll is thought to be much higher.
Air raids and artillery barrages continued to be recorded, especially in the cities of Bahri and Omdurman.
As food and water supplies run out, there are numerous reports of home invasions, looting and theft, especially of vehicles.
“We have also received very disturbing reports of sexual assaults,” according to Volker Pertes.
At the same time, foreign countries continue their operations to hastily expel their nationals and diplomats.
Health services were already under enormous pressure and, as if that were not enough, a warehouse of Red Cross medical supplies was looted, said the representative of the International Federation of Red Cross and Human Rights Societies. Sudan Red Crescent, Farid Aiwar. Which means resupplying healthcare facilities – already facing severe shortages – becomes even more difficult.
Operations for the Greeks continue
At the same time, ten other people, Greeks and their family members, were released from Sudan and arrived last night, by flights of German planes, in Amman, Jordan, says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release.
Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias expressed his heartfelt thanks to his German counterpart, Analena Berbock, for his country’s assistance in efforts to liberate Greeks and their family members from Sudan.
A total of 53 people (Greeks and their relatives) have been released in recent days, while operations continue. It is estimated that around 80 expats remain stranded.
Source: Reuters, APE-MPE
News
Follow kathimerini.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news
See all the latest news from Greece and the world, at kathimerini.gr
