The United States issued a stern warning on Saturday, expressing grave concern over the escalating clashes between Sudan’s army and paramilitary forces. The US urged the fighters to cease their advance on Wad Madani, a crucial aid hub that is currently home to tens of thousands of displaced civilians.
The conflict has forced nearly half a million people to seek refuge in Sudan’s Al-Jazirah state, with over 86,000 taking shelter in the capital, Wad Madani, according to United Nations figures. However, recent fighting between Sudanese armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) resulted in the overrun of Wad Madani on Friday. Consequently, the UN humanitarian agency suspended aid operations in the state until further notice.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller emphasized the significance of Wad Madani as a safe haven for displaced civilians and a vital hub for international humanitarian relief efforts. He warned that the ongoing RSF advance not only jeopardizes the lives of countless civilians but also poses a severe threat to humanitarian assistance efforts.
The conflict, which commenced in April between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has already claimed over 12,190 lives, according to estimates by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. Internally displaced persons number over 5.4 million, with approximately 1.3 million seeking refuge abroad, according to UN figures.
The RSF fighters had been steadily advancing towards Wad Madani for weeks, covering a distance of 110 miles (180 kilometers) down the highway from Khartoum to the north. The U.S. now calls for an immediate halt to this advance to prevent further civilian casualties and maintain the critical humanitarian lifeline.
