A 72-hour ceasefire, concluded in Sudan between the belligerents under the aegis of the United States, officially came into force on Tuesday, after 10 days of fighting which left several hundred dead and caused an exodus.
The army and paramilitaries have confirmed the ceasefire, but it is unclear whether the fighting has stopped in the capital Khartoum.
For several days, the belligerents had already announced that they were accepting breaks, before accusing each other of having broken the truce.
Blinken announces 72-hour ceasefire in
Sudan
US Foreign Minister Antony Blinken announced on Monday that the army and paramilitaries in conflict in Sudan had agreed to a three-day ceasefire, after ten days of deadly fighting.
Read alsoIn Sudan, the difficult search for a truce
“
After intense negotiations over the past 48 hours, the
Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to implement a nationwide ceasefire effective midnight April 24 (Monday 10:00 p.m. GMT), which should last 72 hours
,” Antony Blinken said in a statement.
The United Kingdom begins the repatriation of its nationals
British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly announced on Twitter this morning “
to coordinate an evacuation of British nationals from Sudan
”.
“
We have started contacting nationals directly and offering departure routes out of the country
,” he added.
Several European countries, including France, Italy and Germany have evacuated their nationals.
Some 1,500 Europeans lived in the country before the conflict, according to a European official and more than a thousand nationals of the European Union were evacuated during a "
complex operation
", announced on Monday the head of EU diplomacy Josep Borrel.
Europeans evacuated.
SPANISH FOREIGN MINISTRY / REUTERS
Tokyo evacuates dozens of nationals and closes its embassy
"
The evacuation of all Japanese who were in Khartoum and hoped to be evacuated no later than yesterday (...), including members of the embassy, has been completed,"
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters. journalists.
He also indicated that four other Japanese nationals had been able to leave Sudan for Djibouti and Ethiopia with the help of France and international organizations, adding that eight other Japanese had been able to leave the country with the help of Paris.
Fighting in Khartoum.
MOHAMED NURELDIN ABDALLAH / REUTERS
US worried about Wagner involvement
"
We have very serious concerns about the commitment of the Prigojine group
(the Wagner group, editor's note)
in
Sudan
," said the head of American diplomacy, Antony Blinken, during a joint press conference with his Kenyan counterpart. Alfred Mutua, who criticized the role played by certain Middle Eastern countries.
"
And we are deploying in support of maritime assets in the region
", off Port-Sudan, he added.
The head of the American diplomacy, Antony Blinken.
LEAH MILLIS / REUTERS
News reports citing officials said the Wagner Group supplied weapons to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of General Mohamed Hamdane Daglo, who opposes General Abdel Fattah al-Burhane, the de facto ruler of Sudan.
Washington has for the moment ruled out any major military operation aimed at bringing out the American nationals still present in Sudan, preferring to help them on a case-by-case basis, as well as sending ground troops.