The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities between the warring parties in Sudan.
President William Ruto asked IGAD leaders to take a firm position on the crisis to restore peace in the country.
The President spoke today during a virtual meeting with IGAD Heads of State on the deteriorating security in Sudan.
Those in the emergency session were Presidents Salva Kiir (South Sudan), Yoweri Museveni (Uganda), Ismail Omar Guelleh (Djibouti) and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somalia).
The leaders called on the Transitional Sovereign Council General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo to stop the war and return to the negotiation table.
Shelling at Khartoum continued as late as today evening in a deadly power struggle between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Force (RSF), a paramilitary force whose cooperation with the army has come to an explosive end.
For the better part of today, just like yesterday, civilians and residents who were caught up in the skirmishes dodged gunfire in Khartoum, as rival forces battled over the presidential palace, state TV, and army headquarters.
The clashes erupted after tensions over a proposed transition to civilian rule.
Both the army and RSF claimed they had control of the airport and other key sites in Khartoum, where fighting continued overnight.
At least sixty civilian deaths had been reported by today afternoon but the death toll is expected to rise sharply since most of the casualties are yet to be accounted for.
The fighting is between army units loyal to the de facto leader, Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Sudan’s deputy leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti.
