NOTE from Sudan Watch Editor: As reported by the BBC, it is difficult to get a true picture of situation on ground. The Sudanese army and paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) observed a temporary ceasefire after two days of fighting. African Union chief is heading to Sudan. Many countries are keeping a close eye on Sudan. Sudan's road ahead to civilian rule is painfully long. The UN chief demands justice for staff deaths. Let us pray that the International Criminal Court is keeping its Darfur Sudan files open.
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From: BBC News LIVE reporting
Sunday 16 April 2023 at 15:26; 5:40; 17:17; 17:23; 18:12; 18:37 GMT UK
Sudanese army and RSF back 'urgent humanitarian ceasefire'
The two sides in the conflict in Sudan have agreed to a temporary ceasefire so that "urgent humanitarian cases" can be brought to safety.
Representatives from the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces have agreed to the proposal by the United Nations to pause fighting between 16:00 and 19:00 local time (14:00 and 17:00 GMT) on Sunday.
General Burhan of the Sudanese Armed Forces and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of the Rapid Support Forces supported the proposal.
While welcoming the agreement, UN representative in Sudan Volker Perthes said they will be held accountable to honour it.
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-65285254
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BBC Monitoring's Beverly Ochieng in Nairobi says both sides are making competing claims about areas that they have seized and it has been frustrating getting a true picture of what is happening on the ground.
State TV has just been playing music, peace music, unity music and messages, she says.
Most of the Sudanese media is only posting material on social media, and that's been the biggest source of news coming out of Sudan, she adds.
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-65285254
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The head of the pan-continental African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, is planning to "immediately" go on a ceasefire mission to Sudan, the body said in a statement on Sunday.
The organisation has been meeting to discuss the situation in Sudan.
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Analysis by Frank Gardner, BBC News, Security Correspondent
Sudan is one of the poorest countries, per capita, in the Arab world. But its natural resources and its strategic location on the Red Sea have attracted the attention of its Arab neighbours as well as global powers like the US.
Russia is keen to establish a naval base on the coast and has been in talks about this with Sudan’s military leaders.
Washington wants to prevent this and also has no wish to see Sudan return to the days when it hosted terrorist groups like Osama Bin Laden’s al-Qaida. Under US pressure, Sudan recently established diplomatic relations with Israel.
Nearer at hand, Egypt is in a close alliance with Khartoum, with both countries viewing Ethiopia with suspicion bordering on hostility.
Since the ousting of Sudan’s military ruler General Omar Al-Bashir in 2019, both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have built up ties with Khartoum. The Saudis persuaded Sudan to send forces to join its side in Yemen’s disastrous civil war.
The UAE sees Sudan as part of a regional network against political Islam which it views as a threat to its own way of government.
None of this suggests much hope of an early end to Sudan’s own internal struggles.
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-65285254
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He first came to prominence when he led militias on horseback during the war in Darfur, which some described as a genocide.
Five years ago, there was huge optimism in Sudan following a revolution that led to the ousting of the dictatorial leader Omar al-Bashir who held power for 30 years.
Now, the country is going backwards.
The path to civilian rule was always going to be difficult as Sudan has been ruled with an iron fist for so long.
The army seemed unable to give way, staging a coup in 2021 which derailed the transition and led to months of opposition protests in which dozens were killed.
And now the military are fighting amongst themselves, with civilians caught in the middle, their dreams of a new Sudan shattered.
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-65285254
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UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for "justice without delay" for the deaths of three staff during violence in Kabkabiya, in north Darfur region, his spokesman says.
"The premises of the UN and other humanitarian organisations have also been hit by projectiles and looted in several places Darfur," Stéphane Dujarric said in the statement.
Two more people were injured and the UN's World Food Programme suspended its operations in Sudan as a result of the killings.
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-africa-65285254
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Sudan Watch Ed Update Mon 17 Apr 2023: '4 hr' changed to '3 hr' in title of the above post.
Edited by Rob Corp, Tom Spender, Robert Greenall
Summary
The leaders of Sudan's army and paramilitary group the Rapid Support forces observed a temporary ceasefire after two days of fighting
The four-hour "humanitarian" window on Sunday was for the wounded to be evacuated after clashes were reported across the vast African country
The World Food Programme temporarily halts humanitarian work in Sudan after three staff were killed
The deaths happened during violence in Kabkabiya in North Darfur and two other workers were injured
The UN food agency also says one of its planes was damaged at Khartoum airport
Fighting has entered a second day as a power struggle between Sudan's army and paramilitaries rages in Khartoum and elsewhere
Sudan's doctors' union said at least 57 people have been killed as result of the fighting which broke out on Saturday
The RSF says it controls key sites in the capital but Sudan's leader - and head of the military - has rejected its claim
The African Union, leading Arab states and the US have called for an end to the fighting and a resumption of talks aimed at restoring a civilian government
Sudanese groups and the ruling military junta failed to reach an agreement last week on a handover of power
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Posted at 15:26
15:40