World

Blinken Calls for ‘Immediate Ceasefire’ in Sudan as 97+ Civilians Killed

STOP THE BLOODSHED

Warring government factions plunged the country into chaos over the weekend.

Smoke rises from the tarmac of Khartoum International Airport as a fire burns, in Khartoum, Sudan, April 17, 2023, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video.
Abdullah Abdel Moneim/Reuters

Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Sudan after scores of civilians died in fighting between rival government factions. The mayhem began on Saturday as army units and a paramilitary force opened fire on each other, leading to at least 97 civilian deaths in the north African country. Speaking at the G7 foreign ministers summit in Japan, Blinken said there was a “shared deep concern” about the violence in Sudan. “There’s also a strongly held view across all of our partners on the need for an immediate ceasefire and a return to talks,” Blinken said. “Talks that were very promising in putting Sudan on a path to a full transition to civilian-led government. People in Sudan want the military back in the barracks, they want democracy, they want a civilian-led government. Sudan needs to return to that path.”

Read it at The Guardian