Death Toll Rises to 97 as Fighting Rages in Sudan

Clashes in Sudan's capital Khartoum raged for a third day, raising the death toll to 97 on early Monday. Hundreds of civilians were wounded in the violence.

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The tense situation in Sudan has sparked broad concerns in the international community, with the United Nations, the African Union, the Arab League and other international organizations having called for an immediate ceasefire.

Violent clashes erupted on Saturday between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum and other cities, with the two sides accusing each other of initiating the conflict.

The tension between the two military forces has escalated since Wednesday in the Merowe region in northern Sudan, after the RSF moved military vehicles to a location near the military air base there, a move that the army considered illegal.

Deep differences have emerged between the Sudanese army and the RSF, particularly regarding the latter's integration into the army as stipulated in a framework agreement signed between military and civilian leaders on Dec. 5, 2022.

UN Secretary Antonio Guterres remains deeply concerned about the continued clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan. He strongly condemned the clashes that caused deaths and injuries of civilians, including the death of three staff members of the World Food Programme (WFP), with two others seriously injured.

The United Nations and other humanitarian premises have also been hit by projectiles and looted in several locations in the western Sudanese region of Darfur.

The secretary-general reminded the parties of the need to respect international law, including the obligation to ensure the safety and security of all UN and associated personnel, their premises and their assets, the statement said.

Guterres reiterated his call for an immediate halt to the fighting and a return to dialogue, saying he will continue to engage with regional leaders and Sudanese stakeholders to find a way out of this crisis, it said.