On Tuesday night, a ceasefire between the two conflicting parties came into force in Sudan, which was shaken by heavy fighting.
There were initially no reports of major skirmishes on Tuesday morning, but there was skepticism as to whether the ceasefire would really last after ceasefires had been repeatedly broken recently. A reporter from the German Press Agency on site reported isolated exchanges of fire on Tuesday morning.
Heavy fighting broke out between the military and paramilitaries in Sudan more than a week ago. De facto President Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is also the supreme commander of the army, wants to use the military to oust his deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, the leader of the influential paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The two men had taken over the leadership of the country on the Horn of Africa with around 46 million inhabitants through two joint military coups in 2019 and 2021. According to the UN, more than 400 people have been killed and around 4,000 injured since the conflict began.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Monday that the armed forces and their rival RSF had agreed to a 72-hour nationwide ceasefire from midnight. The RSF confirmed the ceasefire and announced the establishment of humanitarian corridors to allow civilians access to medical care and safe zones, and to assist in the evacuation of diplomats.
Similar announcements had already been made by the parties to the conflict, but these were not complied with. They repeatedly broke a self-agreed ceasefire for the celebrations at the end of the Muslim month of fasting, Ramadan, which was supposed to last until Monday evening.
Bundeswehr flies 100 more people out
The Bundeswehr, meanwhile, flew around 100 other people out of the crisis state on Tuesday. They were in what is now a fifth military transporter that landed in Jordan, a spokesman said. The total number of evacuees is almost 500 people, including more than 180 Germans. According to the Federal Foreign Office, the number of Germans on site is unclear “since we cannot reach some of them by phone at the moment”.
The Bundestag is to adopt a mandate for armed evacuation, which will formally give the Bundeswehr a legal basis for its deployment until the end of May. The “Spiegel” reported on Tuesday that there is an upper limit for the deployment of 1,600 soldiers, which can also be exceeded for a limited period of time.
Bundeswehr takes over coordination
In the meantime, Germany has taken over the coordination of evacuation flights from the crisis state from France. The Bundeswehr is now responsible for coordinating flight movements to the receiving airfield, a spokesman for the Bundeswehr Operations Command said on Tuesday night to the German Press Agency. The aim is to regulate flight times and practical operations at the military airfield near Khartoum, which is used by western countries. In practical terms, this means that experts from the Air Force are responsible for allocating flight times and thus preparing for the safe arrival and departure of aircraft from other countries.
Several Western countries had begun flying out their own nationals and members of other nations over the weekend. France has now practically completed its mission. According to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the British started evacuating on Tuesday. They only fly out British citizens and their immediate family who already have an entry permit for Great Britain, according to the website of the Foreign Office in London. How long the rescue flights out of the country can continue depends largely on the security situation.
US National Security Council communications director John Kirby told CNN that they have been in close contact with leaders of both camps since fighting began in Sudan, trying to persuade them to agree on a stable ceasefire. Now it is important to monitor compliance with the new ceasefire as best as possible. Blinken emphasized that in order to work towards a permanent end to the fighting, the USA wanted to coordinate with regional and international partners as well as Sudanese actors. A committee should be set up to oversee negotiations on an end to the fighting and the implementation of the results.
Israel comes into play as a mediator
On Monday evening, Israel brought itself into play as a mediator in the conflict. The Israeli foreign ministry has offered to host talks in Israel to end the violence, a spokesman said. There is contact with high-ranking representatives of both sides in Sudan.
The UN special representative in Sudan, Volker Perthes, wants to stay in the country and work there: “We are determined to stay in Sudan and to support the Sudanese people in every way we can,” he said. The situation for the Sudanese remains precarious: According to the UN emergency aid office, tens of thousands have already fled to neighboring Chad, Egypt and South Sudan. The UN Security Council wants to discuss the situation again in an emergency meeting – according to diplomatic circles in a public round on Tuesday evening around 9 p.m. (CEST).
