The United States and the African Union have agreed to work together to end the conflict in long-suffering Sudan, with the African country’s military side endorsing in principle the extension of a three-day ceasefire that was put into effect (partially in practice) at midnight Monday Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and African Union Commission Chairman Moussa Faki Maamat agreed by phone Wednesday to work together to find a way to end the April 15 fighting between the army and paramilitary Rapid Reaction Forces in Sudan. (RSF), according to a press release issued by the State Department.

At the same time, the head of the army and the de facto leader of Sudan since the 2021 coup, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, yesterday Wednesday approved in principle the proposal of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD, an East African regional organization) to extend the suspension of fire for another 72 hours.

It also agreed to send a member of the military to Juba, the capital of neighboring South Sudan, to negotiate, according to a statement released by the military.

The IGAD proposal also includes sending a Paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) representative to Juba to clarify the details.

Although the UN says the ceasefire is “partially” in place, fighting continues in the country, with foreign nationals rushing to flee abroad.

Canadian business

Canada will send about 200 troops to coordinate the rapid withdrawal of its citizens from war-torn Sudan, Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Wednesday, while Ottawa says 180 Canadians have already left the country.

About 1,800 Canadians were in Sudan on April 15 when fighting began, according to the Canadian government, with about 700 of them seeking foreign assistance to leave the country.

Some 180 Canadians have already been evacuated from the northeast African nation thanks to help from other countries, but the federal government is now preparing its own evacuation operation, Foreign Secretary Melanie Jolie said earlier Wednesday.

Canada has sent two C-130 Hercules aircraft near Sudan to pick up citizens when conditions permit, Ms Anand said yesterday.

“We are monitoring the situation very closely,” and the terms of the operation are that “there is room at the airport” in Khartoum and Canadians “can get there safely,” the minister told reporters.

On Sunday, Ottawa announced that it had suspended the Canadian embassy in Khartoum until further notice and that members of the mission would temporarily work in a safe location outside the country. In addition, he announced earlier this week that he would take steps to provide relief to Sudanese who are in Canada on temporary residence permits and may not be able to return due to the rapidly deteriorating situation in their homeland.

Hecatomb

Clashes between the regular army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries have claimed hundreds of lives, injured thousands, destroyed hospitals and other infrastructure, and made it impossible to distribute food in a state of 46 million people, a third of whom were already in need of humanitarian assistance. survive.

Fighting continued on the outskirts of the capital Khartoum on Wednesday, casting doubt on the ceasefire in the 12-day war.

Source: RES-IPE