The African Union (AU) called on Sudan’s neighbors and the world community on Thursday to assist those escaping deadly violence in the country, while also calling for a truce.
The AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, “continues to follow with growing concern the plight of civilians caught up in the deadly conflict in Sudan,” his office stated in a statement.
“The chairperson renewed the call on Sudan’s neighboring countries, relevant regional and global agencies to facilitate the transit and safety of civilians crossing their borders unhindered,” the same source said.
Mr. Faki urged the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to “immediately agree on a permanent ceasefire to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Sudanese in need.”
Several truce attempts have failed since the fighting began on April 15.
The army declared on Thursday evening, only hours before the three-day ceasefire’s expiration at midnight (22:00 GMT), that it will “extend the ceasefire for another 72 hours,” “following an initiative by Saudi Arabia and the United States.”
The paramilitaries have yet to respond to this announcement.
The war has resulted in a tremendous migration from this 45 million-person country, one of the poorest in the world.
The war has resulted in a tremendous migration from this 45 million-person country, one of the poorest in the world.
Thousands have already arrived in neighboring countries, including Chad in the west, Ethiopia in the east, South Sudan and the Central African Republic in the south, and Egypt in the north.
