Plight of millions of Sudanese grows dire as diplomats flee Yesterday, 22:18 in Abroad The ongoing fighting is causing shortages of food, water and electricity in the capital Khartoum and other cities. Many Sudanese try to flee.

As foreign diplomats and civilians flee Sudan, the situation in the country becomes increasingly dire. The capital Khartoum, like other places, suffers from a lack of food and water and power shortages.

Near-constant shelling and heavy artillery attacks have left hundreds dead in Khartoum alone since fighting between the Sudanese army and RSF paramilitary units ignited nine days ago. A ceasefire was agreed several times, but the warring parties took little notice of it.

At least 420 people have been killed so far, including 264 civilians, and at least 3,700 injured, according to the AP news agency.

The latest truce should have coincided with the three-day Eid festivities. Heavy fighting is taking place in Omdurman, a city near Khartoum on the left bank of the Nile. “We have not seen a ceasefire,” an Omdurman resident told the AP. Gunfire and heavy explosions can be heard all over the city, according to the eyewitness. There is also looting.

Today it was announced that the first Dutch people have been evacuated from Sudan. Other countries are also moving civilians out of Sudan. France, Germany, Greece, the UK, the US and Saudi Arabia, among others, are sending planes or ships.

Thousands of Sudanese have also left the capital and other fighting places. 20,000 people have fled to neighboring Chad from the western region of Darfur. 10,000 Sudanese have fled to Egypt.

Khartoum is ghost town

Millions of Sudanese who cannot or do not want to leave are sheltering in their homes from the violence. According to a spokesman for a doctors’ organization, Khartoum has turned into a ghost town. The internet has stopped working almost everywhere, with disastrous consequences for the coordination of aid for residents trapped in the cities.

Due to the fighting between the military factions, hopes of a transition to a civilian government in Sudan evaporate. In 2021, generals seized power in the country.

Khalid Omar, a spokesman for the pro-democracy bloc pushing for the return of civilian rule, has called on the RSF to come to the negotiating table and end the fighting.

“There is an opportunity to stop this war and get the country back on track,” said Omar. “This war is fueled by groups who want it to continue.”