delivery time2023-04-20 21:25
Witnesses “The stench of death everywhere in Khartoum”… WHO calls for “opening humanitarian channels”
[AP 연합뉴스 자료사진. 재판매 및 DB 금지]
(Cairo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kim Sang-hoon = Foreign media such as AFP reported that the death toll from this conflict exceeded 300 amid a fierce battle between the Sudan government forces and the paramilitary organization Rapid Support Force (RSF), which broke the three-time ceasefire agreement. This was reported on the 20th (local time).
The World Health Organization (WHO) has calculated that the cumulative death toll has reached 330 and injured 3,200 since the conflict began on the 15th.
The Sudanese government forces and the RSF announced that they had agreed to a third ceasefire the previous day under pressure from the international community, but the fighting continues even after that.
In particular, the two sides are fighting the fiercest battle around the Ministry of Defense building in downtown Khartoum, where the military headquarters is located, and near Khartoum International Airport.
[AFP 연합뉴스 자료사진. 재판매 및 DB 금지]
Gunfire and shelling continue throughout the city, and black smoke billows from buildings near the airport.
Nazek Abdallah, who lives in the southern district of Khartoum, said, “I woke up at 4:30 this morning to the roar of fighter planes and air raids.”
He hoped the fighting would end by Eid al-Fitr (the festival at the end of Ramadan), which is due to begin this weekend, but was discouraged, saying, “I know that won’t happen.”
“The stench of death wafts throughout the city,” said an eyewitness who escaped from the battlefield in Khartoum.
[AFP 연합뉴스 자료사진. 재판매 및 DB 금지]
As tap water and electricity were cut off and stockpiled food was exhausted, the number of people risking their lives to evacuate from Khartoum increased significantly.
However, the movement of civilians is not easy due to continued armed conflict.
Accordingly, the activities of countries promoting collective evacuation of their citizens, such as Germany and Japan, are not feasible, and France and others have decided not to evacuate their citizens immediately.
In a statement, the WHO urged the Sudanese government forces and the RSF to cease fire immediately and open humanitarian corridors to transport medical personnel, patients and ambulances.
“We call for a humanitarian ceasefire as soon as possible so that those stranded in the fighting can escape,” said WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Ahmed al-Mandari.
Government forces leader General Abdel Fattah Burhan and RSF commander Dagalo staged a coup in 2019 to oust former President Omar al-Bashir, who had been in power for 30 years, and seized power by overthrowing the interim government in 2021.
However, the conflict between General Burhan and Commander Dagalo ended in bloodshed as they could not narrow the differences over the direction of governance, such as the issue of integrating the RSF into the government army.
meolakim@yna.co.kr
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2023/04/20 21:25 Sent
