South Sudanese Foreign Minister Deng Dau warned against internationalizing the ongoing conflict in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, while the Sudanese Interior Ministry announced the deployment of police forces on the roads to secure public and private property and control lawlessness.
These developments come at a time when clashes continue between the two parties to the conflict, as the capital, Khartoum, witnessed air strikes and gunfire on Saturday, as the fighting entered its third week, despite the declared truce and international efforts to stop the fighting.
Deng Dau said – during an interview with Al-Jazeera – that his country believes that the solution to the Sudanese crisis is in the hands of the Sudanese, noting that a timetable has not yet been set for a meeting between the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Army, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, and the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Muhammad Hamdan Hamidti.
He added, "President Salva Kiir Mayardit, who leads the IGAD team, spoke to Al-Burhan and Hamidti, and informed them that there is an urgency on the importance of their meeting in Juba.. We have not yet set a time limit for that, but he assured them that the issue is urgent and that they must send their representatives in the context of a political dialogue that deals with stopping the fighting. This is essential and important."
In the midst of the intense diplomatic activity led by several parties to stop the clashes, the head of the United Nations Support Mission in Sudan, Volker Peretz, said that the two parties have become more open to negotiations.
The deputy spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Farhan Haq, said – in an interview with Al-Jazeera – that neither side in Sudan can achieve a military victory.
He pointed out that the United Nations is working with its partners to try to reach an agreement for a long-term ceasefire, warning that he has not yet taken a decision on negotiations between the two sides.
Police elements
On the ground, the Sudanese Ministry of Interior announced the deployment of police forces on the roads to secure public and private property and control lawlessness.
Sudanese activists and local pages broadcast scenes showing the deployment of the "Central Reserve" forces of the Sudanese police in the Kalakla area of Khartoum.
The Sudanese army said that units of the Central Reserve Police began to open areas south of the capital, Khartoum, indicating that what it described as rebels continued to indiscriminately bomb areas in the vicinity of the leadership, central Khartoum and Omdurman, and that they were continuing attempts to bring in forces from the west of the country.
He also explained that the West Darfur State Security Committee succeeded in reducing tribal tension between some social components in the state.
For its part, the Rapid Support Forces strongly warned all leaders of the police forces against engaging in battles, and demanded that they withdraw all their members from participating with what they described as putschists.
And she added – in a statement – that the police is a national civil apparatus that should not take sides with any party over the other, calling on the police and their leaders not to interfere so that they do not have to deal with them as an enemy.
Clashes
The Sudanese army stated that its forces clashed with the "rebels" in the Halfaya and south of Omdurman areas, stressing the achievement of successes during combing operations in the two regions.
Sudanese activists broadcast pictures that they said were of the deployment of Sudanese army forces in the vicinity of the Halfaya Bridge, north of the capital, Khartoum. The footage showed military vehicles and army soldiers roaming the streets near the Halfaya Bridge, which connects Khartoum North and Omdurman.
And Al-Jazeera correspondent reported that a violent explosion shook the center of Khartoum, while fierce battles with heavy and light weapons continue between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces south of Omdurman.
The authorities in the Nile River state, in northern Sudan, declared a state of emergency in the state, and the governor of Gedaref, in the east of the country, issued an order declaring a state of emergency for a month.
As a result of the continuation of the battles, more than 10,000 people, most of them women and children, have arrived in the country of Chad, neighboring Sudan, many of whom left from the state of West Darfur towards the city of Adre, in eastern Chad, because of the clashes.
death toll
On the other hand, the Sudanese Ministry of Health announced that more than 528 people were killed, while the number of injured reached about 4,600 people as a result of the clashes between the two sides.
The Sudan Doctors Syndicate also said that 70% of the hospitals adjacent to the areas of clashes are out of service.
The Syndicate stated that 15 hospitals were bombed, 19 others were forcibly evacuated, 6 ambulances were attacked, and medical staff were prevented from transporting patients and delivering supplies.
Evacuations continue
Regarding the evacuation of foreign nationals as a result of the battles, an informed source at Wadi Sayedna Military Airport, north of Omdurman, confirmed that evacuation flights of various nationalities are continuing.
The source pointed out that 4 flights took off from the airport after the flights resumed on Friday evening, after they were stopped after a Turkish plane was hit by ground anti-aircraft missiles near the airport.
On the other hand, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced the suspension of evacuations of Egyptian nationals from Wadi Sayedna base for security reasons.
A statement by the Ministry of the Consulate General in Port Sudan specified an alternative to the Wadi Sayedna base, which it called on Egyptian nationals to leave immediately, provided that they use the "Qastal" and "Arqin" land crossings to enter Egyptian territory.
A ship carrying 1,886 people, including 20 Saudis and 65 Iranians, arrived at the port of King Faisal Naval Base in the Saudi city of Jeddah, in addition to other nationalities who were evacuated from Sudan through Port Sudan.
Saudi television reported that about 5,000 people have been evacuated from Sudan to Jeddah since the evacuation of foreigners began after the outbreak of confrontations.
Also, a Chinese warship with about 500 people on board arrived at the port of Jeddah today, and an Indian one with 300 people on board.
American convoy
On the other hand, the US State Department announced that hundreds of US citizens and permanent residents of America have left Sudan, noting that a convoy supervised by it and carrying US citizens and foreigners arrived in Port Sudan today.
The ministry indicated that it sent messages to every American citizen in Sudan who communicated with it during the crisis, and provided specific instructions on how to join this convoy.
It added that it is assisting US citizens and others who are eligible to travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and that additional personnel have been placed to assist with consular and emergency services.
The Associated Press quoted US officials as saying that armed American marches provided protection for the convoy.
