Members of the UN Security Council have warned that the crisis in Sudan could take a regional dimension with dire consequences. The council meeting on Wednesday has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the guarantee of the humanitarian workers and civilians.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, representatives from the African Union, Intergovernmental Authority of Development(IGAD), and country council members have urged for an immediate and prolonged ceasefire.
Guterres said the ten days of violence and chaos are heartbreaking. He said there is a need to prevent a prolonged war in Sudan.
He suggested that the conflict must not be resolved on the battlefield with the bodies of Sudanese people. The parties to the conflict were asked to ensure a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Sudan is neighbored by Ethiopia, Chad, the Central African Republic, Libya, and South Sudan.
But there is fear that countries like Kenya, Uganda, and DRC could suffer the effect in the event that it turns into a full-blown conflict similar to what was witnessed in Libya and Egypt.
The conflict in Sudan that erupted on 15th April between the Sudanese and a paramilitary group known as the RSF or Rapid Support Forces has by Wednesday morning led to 459 deaths.
Four humanitarian workers and one diplomat had been killed. The number of those injured was on the increase. Thousands of people were also fleeing Khartoum following a temporary ceasefire brokered by the United States of America.
The Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Joyce Cleopa Msuya Mpanju described what has been unfolding in Sudan as a nightmare for aid workers and civilians alike.
She said at least twenty hospitals have been forced to close, damaged, or military use or lack of resources.
AmbassadorFatimaKyariMohammed, the Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations warned against any foreign interference in what is already a dangerous crisis for Sudan, the region, the millions of affected civilians, and the continent.
Other members of the Security Council welcomed the 72-hour ceasefire brokered by the United States but expressed concern that the parties were not honoring their commitments.
The sides to the conflict were urged to allow humanitarian access and ensure the protection of civilians and aid workers.
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