The Sudanese army has agreed to assist in the evacuation of foreign nationals, following a week of violence that has killed hundreds of people.
Army chief, Abdel Fatteh al-Burhan issued a statement confirming the agreement after a pledge by Rapid Support Forces leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, to open airports for evacuations.
The situation in the city appeared to have calmed somewhat by Saturday morning, though fighting has continued intermittently.
Both the army and the RSF have stated that they will observe the ceasefire for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.
The conflict has disrupted plans for a return to civilian rule in Sudan and has raised concerns about a wider conflict.
The World Health Organization reports that at least 413 people have been killed and 3,551 injured since the violence began.
Efforts to end the fighting have focused on securing a ceasefire, with the US and other countries preparing to evacuate their citizens.
The army has stated that the US, UK, France, and China will be evacuating their diplomats and nationals from the city in the coming hours.
Hemedti has received a phone call from the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, in which they “emphasised the necessity of adhering to a complete ceasefire and providing protection for humanitarian and medical workers”.
The RSF has said it is ready to partially open all airports to allow evacuations.
However, Khartoum’s international airport remains in a state of conflict, and it is unclear what the situation is at other airports.
Tags: Sudan
