About 100 Zimbos set to leave war-torn Sudan as three days ceasefire begins
By Staff Writer
AROUND 100 Zimbabweans are set to leave Sudan in the wake of a paralysing armed conflict which erupted in the country almost a fortnight ago.
This follows the eruption of an armed conflict between rival factions of the military government of Sudan began on 15 April 2023, when clashes broke out across the country, mainly in the capital city of Khartoum and the Darfur region.
As of 23 April, more than 420 people have been killed and more than 3,700 injured.
The fighting began with attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on key government sites. Airstrikes, artillery and heavy gunfire were reported across Sudan including in Khartoum.
As of 23 April 2023, both RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and Sudan’s de facto leader and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan claimed control of several key government sites, including the general military headquarters.
But in an update Tuesday, Publicity and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary, Nick Mangwana said plans are under way to evacuate Zimbabweans trapped in the conflict ridden country.
“Zimbabwe is in the process of evacuating its nationals from Sudan. These who work at the Embassy have been moved from Khartoum to the Port of Sudan from where transport arrangements are underway to bring them home. All indications are that all our nationals are safe.
“There are 31 Embassy staff and their families and 70 other Zimbabweans,” he said.
He revealed that all countries including Zimbabwe took advantage of the departure of the UN convoy and joined it for safely.
Meanwhile, a ceasefire has come into effect in Sudan after US secretary of state Antony Blinken said the two opposing forces in its civil war had agreed a three-day pause in hostilities.
“Following intense negotiation over the past 48 hours, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to implement a nationwide ceasefire starting at midnight on 24 April, to last for 72 hours,” he said.
Previous attempted ceasefires have failed over the course of 10 days of fighting that has so far killed at least 427 people and wounded more than 3,700, according to UN agencies. Hours before Blinken’s announcement, the UN secretary-general, António Guterres, had warned that the fighting could “engulf the whole region and beyond”.
“We must all do everything within our power to pull Sudan back from the edge of the abyss,” Guterres said.
