Over 330 killed, 3,200 injured in Sudan: WHO

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 Apr 2023 17:39

Ghebreyesus says that unsafe access and the lack of water and electricity are making it difficult for humanitarian services to reach those in need.

Smoke rising from a burning aircraft inside Khartoum Airport in Khartoum, Sudan, April 17, 2023 (Reuters)

Head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, confirmed on Thursday that the death toll in Sudan has risen to more than 330 people and approximately 3,200 others have been injured in the violent clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

On Twitter, the WHO chief said: "The situation in Sudan is increasingly concerning and heartbreaking. Over 330 people have died so far, and nearly 3,200 are injured. I condemn all loss of life, especially attacks on civilians and health care."

My statement on the increaseingly concerning and heart breaking situation in #Sudan. pic.twitter.com/RY4mjRF0f4
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) April 20, 2023

On Tuesday, Ghebreyesus tweeted that the "WHO condemns attacks on health care in #Sudan, which deprive communities of essential & urgently needed care to save lives. We urge all parties to [...] ensure unrestricted & safe access to health facilities for the injured & everyone in need of medical care."

Clashes have been ongoing between Army forces led by Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo-led RSF, in what can be described as a surprising turn of events that led to armed conflict between the previous allies.

The Sudanese army accused the RSF of attacking many of its bases in Khartoum and other areas, shortly after the RSF accused the army of attacking its bases. With that said, the director of Khartoum's Center for Strategic and Political Studies, Hassan Shayeb Denqos, told Al Mayadeen that "there is a state of panic among citizens, after heavy gunfire, clashes on the streets of the capital."

A US-brokered truce went into effect on Tuesday at 6 pm but collapsed just hours later as clashes renewed between the warring rivals across Sudan who accused each other of violating the agreement.

Sudanese Rapid Support Forces announced their approval of a 24-hour ceasefire starting Wednesday at 6 pm local time and hoped that the Sudanese Armed Forces will abide by it as the country entered its sixth day of internal war.

The military group added in a statement that they will be "fully committed to a complete ceasefire."

Commander of the paramilitary RSF, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, accused his opponent of leading a "radical Islamist gang" seeking to establish a military dictatorship while accusing the country's armed forces of targeting hospitals and non-military targets.

"We’re ready for him to hit us, but not the civilians," Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, told the Financial Times from Khartoum. "We ask God that we gain control and arrest him to hand him over to justice."

Asked if his forces would prevail, Hemedti replied: "We have the readiness, and now we’re on the battlefield. The battlefield will define everything."