An aid convoy in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, was intentionally attacked, resulting in the tragic death of two individuals and injuries to seven others, including three charity staff.
The convoy, clearly marked with a Red Cross emblem, was on a mission to evacuate over a hundred civilians from the volatile situation caused by Sudan’s ongoing civil war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The attack occurred in the al-Shajara neighborhood in the west of Khartoum.
The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) revealed that the convoy’s mission, coordinated with the conflicting parties, aimed to move vulnerable civilians, such as the sick, children, orphans, and the elderly, to a safer area in Wad Madani.
Both parties had provided security guarantees for the humanitarian operation.
Expressing shock and dismay, the ICRC denounced the attack as “unacceptable” and highlighted the blatant disregard for the Red Cross emblem, a symbol protected by international humanitarian law.
Pierre Dorbes, the head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan, emphasized the tragic loss of lives and extended condolences to the families of the victims while expressing hope for a swift recovery for the injured.
Regrettably, the evacuation operation has been halted pending a fresh security assessment.
The ICRC urgently called for the immediate protection of all civilians, including humanitarian workers and medical personnel.
Sudan’s civil war, now in its eighth month, has created a dire humanitarian crisis, displacing more than six million people, according to the United Nations.
Efforts to resolve the conflict have faced challenges, and a recent commitment to a ceasefire and face-to-face talks, secured by the East African regional body IGAD, remains uncertain due to previous broken commitments.
The roots of the conflict trace back to a coup in Sudan two years ago, resulting in the arrest of the prime minister and his cabinet, along with the dissolution of the government.
Since then, a council of military generals, led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), has governed Sudan.
Disagreements between the two leaders regarding the country’s direction and the transition to civilian rule have fueled the ongoing strife.
As the people of Sudan endure the devastating consequences of conflict, the international community is called upon to address the urgent need for protection and assistance to civilians caught in the crossfire.
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