Over 1,262 Nigerian students have appealed to the federal government to evacuate them from the Republic of Sudan. In Sudan, 330 people have been killed and 3,200 injured in violent clashes. Particularly between the Sudanese army and the militia’s Rapid Support Force.
Adam Mohammed, the Secretary-General of the National Association of Nigerian Students lamented in an interview. He stated bitterly that many students had run out of food.
Thousands of civilians fled the capital Khartoum due to clashes. Furthermore, some foreign countries including Japan, Uganda and Tanzania, have begun to evacuate their own citizens as the violence continues to increase.
Until recently, the Sudanese army and the RSF paramilitaries were allies. Both sides are led by General Abdel al-Burhan and General Mohamed Dagalo respectively. They worked together in the 2019 popular uprising to overthrow Sudan’s brutal dictator Omar Al-Bashir. Omar had ruled the country for 30 years.
After the coup, a power-sharing government was formed, made up of civilian and military groups.
The plan was for the interim government to rule Sudan for a few years and oversee a transition to a civilian administration but in 2021, Al-Burhan, who had become chief of the power-sharing council, dissolved it. He declared that he would instead hold elections in 2023.
The current fighting broke out between the army and the RSF as a result of failed negotiations over integrating the two forces ahead of the intended restoration of civilian rule. There was a dispute over which general would be subordinate to the other, and how quickly the RSF would be incorporated into the Sudanese military.
Heavy fighting broke out on April 8, with the cities of Khartoum and Obdurman being turned into battlefields.
Though two ceasefires were agreed upon by the warring factions, both failed to stop the violence.
cc: Punch Ng
