The G7 foreign ministers on Tuesday made an appeal to the warring factions in Sudan to agree to an immediate ceasefire as the death toll due to the clashes nears 200, reported The Africa News.
There have been clashes between the Sudanese army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, since Saturday.
In recent months, there was progress towards the formation of a new civilian-led transitional government. But the military and the paramilitary forces disagreed on the timeline for the absorption of the paramilitary force into the regular army. The disagreement also delayed the signing of a final political deal aimed at re-establishing a civilian government by 11 April.
“We strongly condemn the ongoing fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which threatens the security and safety of Sudanese civilians and undermines efforts to restore Sudan’s democratic transition,” the G7 ministers said in a joint statement.
The group urged the Sudanese forces to stop violence, return to negotiations, and take immediate steps to reduce tensions and ensure the safety of all the Sudanese civilians, including diplomatic and humanitarian personnel.
The G7 comprises of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, and the United States.
The joint statement came amid reports that forces associated with the RSF fighters attacked an armored US embassy vehicle during the surge of violence in Khartoum.
Earlier on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a talk with the military generals leading the two warring factions and urged them to agree to a ceasefire.
Blinken said those inside the attacked US embassy vehicle were unharmed.
On Monday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to Sudan’s warring factions to immediately stop the hostilities. He warned that further escalation could be devastating not only for the country but the entire region.
