EU Urges Sides in Sudan to Cease Fire – Borrell
POLITICS DIGEST – The European Union calls upon the sides to the conflict in Sudan to stop violence immediately, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Saturday.
The European Union calls upon the sides to the conflict in Sudan to stop violence immediately, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Saturday.
“Alarming news of fighting in #Sudan. The EU calls on all forces to stop the violence immediately. An escalation will only aggravate the situation. Protection of citizens is a priority,” Borrell said on Twitter.
He added that “all EU staff in the country is safe and accounted for.”
Clashes broke out earlier in the day between the Sudanese regular army and the country’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum, Sudan’s capital.
Government forces accused the RSF of mutiny and launched airstrikes against their bases.
The RSF claimed to have seized the Republican Palace, as well as the international airport of Khartoum and an air base in the city of Merowe.
The RSF accused the regular army of attacking their base in the capital “using all kind of weapons.”
On the night of Thursday, the Sudanese army issued a harsh statement, saying that the deployment of the RSF in Khartoum and some other cities is illegal and was not coordinated with the armed forces.
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Media reported that the sudden start of the RSF’s deployment near the Merowe airbase was the reason for the army’s statement.
Broadcaster Al-Arabiya reported, citing sources, that the Sudanese army is also deploying its divisions in Merowe “in case of security issues.”
The army reportedly gave the RSF some time to leave the city, but they said their presence there fully complies with their tasks and responsibilities.
In December 2022, Sudan’s military and the country’s opposition signed a political agreement providing for the establishment of a transitional civilian government in the country.
The document envisaged appointing a prime minister, adoption of a temporary constitution and a two-year transitional period followed by a general election.
The military pledged not to participate in the political life of the country soon after the agreement was signed.
However, the agreement did not put an end to the tensions between different power groups in the African country.
Last week, the Forces of Freedom and Change, Sudan’s leading opposition movement, announced that signing the final political agreement on the establishment of civilian government in Sudan will be postponed due to the absence of consensus between the military groups.
Sudanese media reported that those groups are the country’s regular army and various paramilitary groups, including the RSF.
