Sudan: Thousands flee homes amid clashes between army, paramilitaries
Khartoum (Sudan), April 19: Thousands of civilians have fled their houses in Sudan's capital Khartoum as clashes between the army and paramilitaries raged for a fifth day after a 24-hour truce crumbled, Al Jazeera reported on Wednesday.
When the agreed ceasefire was broken up within minutes, residents in Sudan's dreams of being evacuated were dashed. Both the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the regular army issued statements accusing each other of violating the ceasefire. The army's top leadership has stated that operations to secure the capital and other places will continue, according to Al Jazeera.
According to witnesses, thousands of people in Khartoum took matters into their own hands and began to leave their homes, some in cars and some on foot, including women and children, Al Jazeera reported.
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With food supplies running low, power outages, and a lack of running water, people huddled in their homes, desperate to be evacuated from the conflict-torn region.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) officials, as many as 270 people have been killed and more than 2,600 have been injured in the unrest in Sudan.
According to Al Jazeera, the conflict between Sudan's military leader and his deputy on the ruling council erupted four days ago, derailing a plan for a civilian democracy that had received international support, four years after the overthrow of the previous government by widespread protests and two years after a military coup.
According to the UN, the fighting has caused a humanitarian crisis, including the near-complete collapse of the health system. The organization's Global Food Programme ceased operations when three of its employees were killed.
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- ANI
