Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces Say French National Injured In Air Attack
By Arab News
Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said in a tweet on Sunday that they were attacked by aircraft during the evacuation of French nationals from their embassy.
One French national was injured in the incident, which the Sudanese army claims was the result of an attack by RSF troops – a claim they denied.
“This morning, 4/23/2023, the Rapid Support Forces were attacked by aircraft during the evacuation of French nationals from their country’s embassy, passing by Bahri to Omdurman,” the tweets reads, adding “which endangered the lives of French nationals by injuring one of them.”
“The Rapid Support Forces indicate that, in full coordination with the French government, the evacuation convoy of French nationals moved this morning from their gathering places at the French embassy and crossed the city of Bahri to Omdurman.”
“This flagrant violation of international and humanitarian law and the declared truce was witnessed and attended by members of the French embassy that documented the incident,” the tweet added.
“In the face of this cowardly attack and in order to preserve the safety of the French nationals, the Rapid Support Forces had to return the convoy to the first starting point.”
“The Rapid Support Forces reaffirm their full commitment to the declared armistice and the opening of humanitarian corridors to enable citizens to obtain the necessary services, and to facilitate the movement of foreign nationals to the evacuation areas designated by their governments.”
Many countries have begun evacuating their civilians from the country as the fighting continued, including Saudi Arabia which flew out 66 foreign nationals, along with nearly 100 of its own people.
News wire, AFP quoted a French diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, who said that the Sudan armed forces and their rivals, the RSF paramilitary group, had “given guarantees of security” to allow the operation.
Both sides blame the other for breaching a truce during Eid.
Sudan’s army chief Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan called for dialogue to bring an end to the bloody clashes in Sudan on Saturday.
In an interview with Al Arabiya TV, Al-Burhan said: “The biggest loser in this war is the Sudanese people. We all need to sit as Sudanese and find the right way out to restore hope and life.”
He added, “living conditions in Sudan are deteriorating and we share the international community’s concern towards Sudanese citizens.”
The fighting between the army and RSF broke out a week ago in Sudan, killing hundreds and injuring thousands more according to the World Health Organization.
Earlier on Saturday, Al-Burhan had said the army was coordinating with countries to help evacuate foreign nationals as sporadic gunfire and air strikes echoed across Khartoum despite promises by warring sides to cease fire for three days on Eid Al-Fitr holidays.
