As the ceasefire in Sudan so far appears to be holding, but many countries are busy evacuating their nationals from the war-torn capital. After several failed truce declarations, the warring parties came to a 72-hour armistice at the start of the week. Following the latest truce, women and children have swarmed out to the streets to see friends and stock up on basics from the local market. But goods that remain in stock are three times their normal price.
Since the start of hostilities more than a week ago, Khartoum and its citizens have endured massive suffering. Eyewitnesses who were fleeing the capital reported seeing human corpses lying on the streets, where no one dared to collect them out of fear. Despite the decreased sound of guns where much of the conflict has taken place, residents are now still residing in a war zone in what was once a thriving metropolis. Crossfire and heavy shelling tore the city apart during the bloody street battle.
The worst aspect of the conflict in Sudan is that it is raging throughout the country’s major cities, neighborhoods, and places of employment, making it impossible for citizens to access food, water, or electricity. The damage caused by explosions to vital infrastructure, which prevents the populace from having access to running water and power, is even more upsetting. Many residents of Khartoum, including a sizable portion of those who are fasting during Ramadan, have been compelled to endure the fighting in order to fetch basic necessities.
On Sunday, the United States (US) announced that a team would be sent to the disaster area to coordinate humanitarian access. The team, according to Samantha Power, director of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), would prioritize those who needed it most. “We give the biggest importance to providing people in need with life-saving humanitarian help,” she said.
The unrest in Sudan has resulted in the unfortunate loss of eight Ethiopian lives and left four individuals of the same origin injured. The Ethiopian embassy has admitted the danger.
It is currently registering a significant number of Ethiopians who wish to travel out of the capital. The fighting has forced individuals from 23 different nations to leave their homes and seek refuge elsewhere. As a consequence, refugees from numerous countries, including Sudanese citizens, are also seeking sanctuary in Ethiopia. Others have gathered at a border crossing with Egypt and at a port city on the Red Sea, urgently trying to flee their country’s carnage.
As the escape route, South Africa joins other nations in the race to provide safe passage for overseas nationals. According to South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, his nation will “assist other nationals” from “our region” who are stranded in Sudan. His government claims to have started evacuating scores of its nationals who are trapped in Sudan.
According to reports, a growing list of countries are able to evacuate their inhabitants, even though routes out remain limited and fraught with risk. Many have left the city and traveled elsewhere in the nation, while others have crossed the border into neighboring nations. Nearly 100 people were transported by helicopter after the US State Department acknowledged that one of its citizens had died in Sudan. Before admitting that there was a “severely limited” likelihood of evacuating others, the UK government also transported British diplomats and their families in a “complex and rapid” operation. But many Sudanese fear the two sides will escalate their battle once the international evacuations are over.
If the conflict worsens, it will further splinter the country and, even worse, draw in neighboring nations. Several governments are attempting to bring the warring factions together in order to resolve their differences. The regional bloc also agreed to send their presidents, but it proved unsuccessful.
The impending but needless war, in Alex De Waal’s opinion, will continue unless it is swiftly resolved. He asserts that while the current conflict may be a struggle for state dominance, other regional and international actors will continue to pursue their objectives. In order to heighten the wrath, he said, “Actors may throw their cash, weapons supplies, and perhaps even their troops.”
De Waal asserts that the two power stragglers pursue autonomous, parallel foreign policies that support various foreign interests in Sudan, but it is uncertain whose direction the conflict will ultimately take.
“The external powers active at the moment are Egypt (pro-Burhan) and Libyan National Army (LNA) leader Khaftar (pro-Hemedti); the UAE leans towards Hemedti, while Qatar and Turkey are waiting to see if the Islamists can come back with Burhan,” he told The Reporter.
He added that Eritrea is also stirring things up in favor of Hemedti. In his opinion, despite the fact that the federal government of Ethiopia has a much stronger relationship with al-Burhan, the government’s position is dependent on Eritrea’s position.
Another external power is the Wagener Group, a Russian paramilitary force. There has been no definitive evidence found to support the claim. However, because of their long-standing associations with the country’s former leader, Omar al-Bashir, the US and the EU have both targeted their activities. The group’s leader denied the accusations.
No “Wagener” teams, he proclaimed, were present in Sudan. The Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, did, however, reaffirm the legitimacy of their presence on Tuesday by describing it as “legitimate”. He said, “Sudan’s legitimate authorities have the right to use the services of the Wagner group.”
Despite two weeks of fighting, the situation in Sudan remains unresolved. Numerous residents of Khartoum have been compelled to flee to neighboring provinces or existing camps within Sudan, where survivors of past conflicts reside.
