Khartoum — The Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD) reported earlier today that at least 97 civilians have died as "the absurd and bloody fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces" continued for a second day yesterday. More fierce fighting was reported this morning.
"A large number of deaths and moderate and critical injuries among innocent, unarmed civilians were reported," the organisation wrote in its inventory of yesterday's clashes.
The doctors' committee recorded 41 civilian deaths yesterday, April 16. "Thus, the number of civilian deaths since the beginning of the clashes reached 97."
When military personnel is included in the statistics, the records indicate that at least 942 lives have been lost. At least 347 moderate and critical injuries were recorded amongst both civilians and military personnel yesterday only.
Most deaths were recorded in the central cities.
In Khartoum, at least 22 died yesterday: six civilians and 16 military officers. In Khartoum North, at least 13 were confirmed dead: four civilians and nine military officers. In Omdurman, five civilians and four military members died, so nine people in total.
At least 16 people died, of whom 13 civilians and three military officers, in the other parts of Sudan yesterday.
Voice of reason
The CCSD called upon the warring parties "to listen to the voice of reason and stop this war immediately and allow safe passages to be opened to evacuate the detainees, the stranded, the wounded, and the injured".
'Listen to the voice of reason and stop this war immediately' - CCSD
"We also note that hospitals and health facilities are not military shelters and have their own privacy and sanctities. Violating them is a crime against humanity, values, and morals."
The doctors stress that treaties and covenants should not be violated.
Ceasefire
Yesterday, a ceasefire was called in to allow for the wounded to be evacuated. The ceasefire allowed many civilians, trapped in their buildings when the shooting started, to move, either to buy food, find their way back to their families, or bring injured people to the hospital.
Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) Lt Gen Abdelfattah El Burhan and Gen Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemeti' Dagalo, Commander of the Rapid Support Forces, agreed to a proposal by UNITAMS head Volker Perthes and the Trilateral Mechanism to commit to a temporary ceasefire between 16:00-19:00 yesterday.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Shooting reportedly continued during the ceasefire and many civilians fear for their lives and worry about access to food and water if the fighting does not stop soon.
Social media users placed updates throughout the ceasefire, reporting on the continued shootings and violations. "There is still gunfire 18:17" and "shooting still continues in Khartoum North and it's almost 5pm," some users wrote.
Others echoed that "it failed miserably!". "Injured civilians are trapped in their homes in Khartoum 2. No water, no electricity. People literally can't get away from the centre of fights."
A fourth user explained that "many have been trapped/stranded without food, drink, or medicine" and highlighted that it is Ramadan, so many are fasting. They also spoke of extensive power and water outages in the city.
International parties have called on the SAF and RSF to cease fighting and expressed their horror over the killing of three humanitarian workers of the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
