The violence in Sudan

Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo and Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. TT  

 

The main characters had dinner together - then the violence started  

 

The leaders of the two warring factions in Sudan dined together just days before the violence erupted, the New York Times reports.  

 

American and British mediators held lengthy meetings with army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the head of the RSF militia, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, last week. The hope was to pour oil on the waves in the conflict that flared up in recent months.  

 

The newspaper writes that both sides made concessions and issued promises, but that they were secretly preparing their forces for battle. The outside world was taken to bed - as late as last Friday evening, the UN envoy Volker Perthes had dinner at the home of the deputy chief of the army.  

 

There were then no indications that fighting was imminent although the first shots rang out in Khartoum a few hours later.  

 

The unrest in Sudan. TT 

 

Thousands are trying to flee Sudan after the broken ceasefire  

 

Many residents of Sudan's capital Khartoum have had their hopes of leaving the city dashed since the ceasefire between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary RSF was broken yesterday, writes AFP. The situation is becoming increasingly desperate with dwindling weapons supplies, power outages and a lack of running water. 

 

Early this morning, thousands of civilians took matters into their own hands and began leaving their homes - both by car and on foot - in an attempt to escape the violence. They testify that the streets were filled with dead bodies.  

 

Around 200 people have been killed and over 1,800 injured, according to UN figures. But the dark figure is feared to be large.