2023-04-26 23:33:00
On the second day of the ceasefire, clashes continued in the capital where army fighter jets flew over the northern suburbs, coming under heavy artillery fire from paramilitaries, witnesses told the AFP. The eastern outskirts of Khartoum came under intense airstrikes and machine gun clashes took place in the southern outskirts, where a house of the paramilitary leader is located, other witnesses said.
Khartoum therefore lives to the rhythm of periods of calm immediately broken by airstrikes and heavy weapons fire. Depending on the neighborhood, the intensity of the fighting varies.
South-west of Khartoum, a resident tells RFI that she had a few hours of respite: without bombardments or gunshots. But the lasting cessation of fighting, she does not believe in it. She is regarding to leave for an area preserved from the conflict, 100 kilometers away: “ It’s a rural area, there are farmers, lots of animals, a river… We’ll have enough to eat, live a normal and simple life. But for now, we are still looking for gasoline for the car. It has become very expensive. »
In addition to gasoline, water, electricity and food are lacking. Southeast of the city, this resident was able to take advantage of Monday’s lull to buy food. But this Wednesday, there was no question of going out. “ We heard a lot of bombs. It’s a bit difficult to look out the windows of the building, because there are a lot of snipers on top of the buildings. They target the citizens who film the conflict. But we hear the noise clearly, we can even feel the building shaking ».
>> To read also: Sudan: the UN Security Council is concerned following a very partial ceasefire
Thousands injured, hospitals closed
For the head of the UN mission in Sudan, there is at this stage ” no clear sign of a possible negotiation between the two military leaders, while the insecurity is such that most humanitarian organizations have been forced to suspend their operations. Will they be able to resume and come to the aid of the civilian victims of the conflict, while the latest report communicated on Wednesday by the Sudanese Ministry of Health reports 512 dead and 4,193 injured?
In Khartoum, 61% of health facilities are closed and only 16% are functioning normally. Many patients with chronic diseases, such as kidney disease, diabetes and cancer, do not have access to the healthcare facilities or the medicines they need “, declared the director general of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a press conference. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, hospitals are already “ in a catastrophic state ».
For the moment, it seems that the fighting has calmed down a bit, but there is still shooting, so we are still assessing the security situation. We are waiting for the situation to allow us to launch an emergency response.
Alyona Synenko, regional spokesperson for the ICRC in Africa
>> To read also: Sudan: Mass prisoner escapes amid chaos
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