War in Sudan: Fighting in Khartoum – WHO sounds the alarm

The ceasefire in the south is proving to be fragile.

Fighting is reported again from the capital Khartoum.

The news ticker.

• Steinmeier

  praises

  the Bundeswehr

  : Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier speaks about deployment in Sudan.

• Again

  air raids

  in

  Sudan

  : Bundeswehr should end evacuation mission quickly.

• Parties to the conflict

  agree on

  a 72-hour ceasefire

  : The ceasefire has been in effect since Monday evening.

• This news ticker on the situation in Sudan is constantly updated.

Update from April 26, 11:30 a.m .:

According to the WHO, there is renewed heavy fighting in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.

According to Nima Saeed Abid, representative of the World Health Organization, one of the parties to the civil war has taken control of a medical laboratory.

Whether these are government fighters or the paramilitary RSF has not yet been determined.

Sudan: Fighting over 'strategic locations' in Khartoum

Update from April 26, 6.40 a.m .:

Despite the ceasefire, the heavy fighting in Sudan continues in many places.

The fighting for "strategic locations" in the capital "have largely continued and sometimes even intensified," said UN Special Envoy Perthes, who was connected from Sudan, to the UN Security Council.

He reported on air raids and explosions in Khartoum.

The RSF militia released a video claiming to have taken control of an oil refinery and power station north of Khartoum.

Perthes accused both sides of attacking civilian targets.

During the conflict, "densely populated areas were attacked without regard to the civilian population".

Hospitals were also attacked.

Perthes said he was in contact with army leader al-Burhan and militia chief Daglo.

However, there are "currently no clear signs that either general is willing to really negotiate."

Sudan: Steinmeier happy about the successful deployment of the Bundeswehr

Update from April 26, 5:06 a.m .:

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was relieved that the air force had successfully evacuated around 600 people from the embattled Sudan.

"I am glad and happy that our security forces were able to evacuate many German compatriots and citizens from the dramatic situation in Sudan," said Steinmeier in Vancouver on Tuesday during his visit to Canada.

At the same time, he is grateful for the courage and commitment of members of the Bundeswehr, the Federal Police and the Foreign Office.

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A video by the RSF paramilitary unit shows cheering fighters in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.

© Screenshot/AFP

The British government has also started evacuating civilians from Sudan.

According to the Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a first machine landed in Cyprus on Tuesday and had around 40 civilians on board.

War in Sudan: Air raids again despite ceasefire – Bundeswehr should end mission quickly

Update from April 25, 10:15 p.m .:

The Bundeswehr flew another 120 people from the embattled Sudan to Jordan.

This was announced by the operational command on Tuesday evening on Twitter.

An onward journey to Germany is being prepared.

The Air Force has thus evacuated a total of more than 600 people in the past few days.

The military action was justified by the federal government with the tense security situation: Heavy fighting broke out between the military and paramilitaries in Sudan more than a week ago.

Update from April 25, 5:22 p.m .:

The Union still sees a need for clarification on the planned Bundestag mandate for the evacuation mission of the Bundeswehr in Sudan.

Group leader Friedrich Merz (CDU) said that the text presented by the government contained “some inconsistencies” that now had to be discussed in the defense and foreign affairs committees.

Among other things, it is about information about the times at which the government made decisions about the deployment that could not be correct.

"In principle, we are always willing to agree to Bundeswehr operations," emphasized Merz.

But they must be plausible, understandable and well-founded.

CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt called the submitted application "insufficient and insufficient".

Questions arose, for example, about what had taken place before the mission last Sunday.

A previously aborted mission is not reflected in the application, but the Bundestag must also be involved in this.

Again airstrikes in Sudan: Bundeswehr should end the evacuation mission quickly

Update from April 25, 3:55 p.m .:

Despite a ceasefire that has been in effect since midnight, there were again airstrikes on Tuesday in the capital region of Sudan, according to media reports.

The city of Omdurman, which borders directly on the capital Khartoum, is said to have moved into focus.

A reporter from the

reported that a hospital was also hit during the fighting.

So far there has been no information on the number of dead or injured.

The Bundeswehr should now quickly end its mission in Sudan to evacuate Germans and citizens of other nations.

According to information from the

, an appeal for the return of the emergency services at the Wunstorf air base in Lower Saxony was already planned for Friday.

War in Sudan: Bundestag should officially legitimize the deployment of the Bundeswehr

Update from April 25, 2:45 p.m .:

The federal government submitted an application to Parliament on Tuesday to officially legitimize the deployment of the Bundeswehr in Sudan.

The Bundestag should thus retrospectively approve the ongoing deployment of the Bundeswehr to evacuate German citizens from Sudan.

War in Sudan: Fighters occupy medical laboratory - WHO warns of "extremely dangerous" situation

Update from April 25, 12:45 p.m .:

Fighters in Sudan have occupied a state medical laboratory with samples of the causative agents of diseases such as polio, cholera and measles.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday that this creates an "extremely, extremely dangerous" situation.

"The occupation of the medical laboratory by a party to the conflict poses a very serious biological risk," said WHO representative in Sudan, Nima Saeed Abid, via video link at a press conference in Geneva.

He emphasized that samples of various potentially deadly pathogens such as cholera and polio were stored in the laboratory.

War in Sudan: Ukraine brings 138 people from the crisis area

Update from April 25, 11:25 a.m .:

Ukraine brought 138 people from the embattled Sudanese capital Khartoum to neighboring Egypt.

Of these, 87 were Ukrainian citizens, the military intelligence service in Kiev said on Tuesday.

It was mainly about pilots, technicians and their families.

Georgians and Peruvians also got to the neighboring country by bus.

The Ukrainians have been given medical care and provided with the necessary documents and can start their journey home soon.

War has been raging in Ukraine itself for over 14 months as a result of a Russian invasion.

Sudan: British military facing mammoth task – 4,000 citizens in war zone

Update from April 25, 9.30 a.m .:

In addition to Germany, the government in Great Britain is also working hard to evacuate British citizens from Sudan.

Currently there are said to be almost 4,000 people with a British passport in the East African country.

This was reported by Sky News on Tuesday morning.

The focus should initially be on families with children, the elderly and people with medical disabilities.

According to the report, the rescue mission could become a race against time.

War in Sudan: 72-hour ceasefire as UN Security Council plans emergency meeting

Update from April 25, 4.40 a.m .:

A ceasefire between the two conflicting parties came into force at midnight in Sudan, which had been shaken by days of fighting.

There were initially no reports of major skirmishes on Tuesday night (April 25), but due to recent experience there was skepticism as to whether the ceasefire would really hold.

The UN Security Council wants to discuss the situation in Sudan again in an emergency meeting - according to diplomatic circles, probably in a public round on Tuesday evening around 9:00 p.m. (CEST).

War in Sudan: Warring parties agree on 72-hour ceasefire

Update from April 24, 10:30 p.m .:

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has promised a ceasefire in Sudan.

Blinken said in a written statement on Monday (local time) that after intensive negotiations, the Sudanese armed forces and their rival paramilitary units (Rapid Support Forces) had agreed to observe a nationwide ceasefire for 72 hours from midnight.

The US government urges both sides to fully comply with this agreement.

The parties to the conflict had previously made similar announcements, but the ceasefire was not observed.

War in Sudan: Israel offers mediation

Update from April 24, 8:35 p.m .:

Israel has brought itself into play as a mediator in the conflict in Sudan.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry has offered to host negotiations in Israel to end the violence in the African country, a spokesman for the ministry said on Monday evening.

"If there is a way Israel can help end the war and violence in the country, we would love to do that," Secretary of State Eli Cohen said in a statement.

War in Sudan: Bundeswehr on an extremely dangerous rescue mission

Update from April 24, 4:35 p.m .:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz thanked the Bundeswehr for the evacuation mission in Sudan.

"It is a dangerous operation, but it is important to bring the citizens of our country and other countries to safety," said the SPD politician on the sidelines of a North Sea summit on wind power in Ostend, Belgium.

"I thank the Bundeswehr for this mission." The operation was well prepared, emphasized Scholz.

Fighting in Sudan: dozens of countries involved in evacuation missions

Update from April 24, 3:30 p.m .:

Heavy fighting in Sudan between government troops and the paramilitary RSF group continues.

Dozens of countries have already started evacuating their citizens, including Germany.

The first 100 or so German citizens arrived in Berlin in a Bundeswehr aircraft.

The US and UK have closed their embassies in Khartoum, evacuating diplomatic staff and their families.

• Belgium:

  According to Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, Brussels is working with France and the Netherlands to evacuate European citizens from the African country.

  She called on Belgian citizens to report to diplomatic missions as soon as possible.

  "All our services have been mobilized to help them," she said on Twitter.

• Canada:

  The Canadian government has suspended the Embassy's activities in Sudan.

  The diplomats should work from a safe location outside the country.

  No further details were given about evacuation measures.

• France:

  Two French military planes carrying nationals of different countries have landed in the East African country of Djibouti.

  The Sudanese army and the RSF group accused each other of shelling a French evacuation convoy in Khartoum.

  According to media reports, a French citizen was injured in the incident.

• India:

  The Air Force of India has sent two military planes to Saudi Arabia to evacuate Indian citizens, according to the Foreign Ministry in New Delhi.

  In addition, a military ship has apparently reached the city of Bur Sudan on the Red Sea.

  India is currently observing the security situation in the country and wants to act accordingly when evacuating.

• Italy:

  The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that Rome will evacuate 140 Italians and 60 people of other nationalities from Sudan.

  More than 100 Italians have already been evacuated to Djibouti in a military plane.

• Jordan:

  Four military planes from Jordan's Air Force are to evacuate around 260 nationals from Sudan, with the mission passing through the city of Bur Sudan.

• Kuwait:

  The Arab country on the Persian Gulf has already evacuated all citizens in Sudan.

  Kuwaiti citizens have arrived in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

• Netherlands:

  Around 150 Dutch citizens have requested an evacuation from Sudan, according to the government.

  A group of Dutch citizens had already been evacuated in a French plane, said Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra.

  It was a “very complex operation” in which Germany was also involved.

  The country has also sent two planes to Jordan to expedite the evacuation.

• Russia:

  Around 140 Russian citizens out of a total of around 300 had requested an evacuation, Moscow said.

  According to the Russian ambassador in Khartoum, evacuation plans have been drawn up.

  However, it is currently not possible to implement them because you have to cross front lines.

• Saudi Arabia:

  So far, the Arab country has evacuated 91 citizens from Sudan, according to the Foreign Ministry.

  66 other people from "friendly and brotherly countries" were also evacuated to Jeddah, it said.

• South Korea:

  A military plane is to evacuate 25 South Korean citizens in Sudan.

• Spain:

  The Spanish government has announced that 100 people have been evacuated from Sudan so far, including 30 Spaniards and 70 nationals from other countries in Europe and South America.

• Sweden:

  The Scandinavian country is sending 400 soldiers to Sudan to support evacuation missions and bring out its own citizens and citizens of other countries.

• Switzerland:

  The Swiss embassy in Khartoum was closed, with all diplomatic staff and their families evacuated with the help of France.

• Turkey:

  Ankara evacuates around 1,000 Turkish citizens in Sudan.

  They should first be taken to Ethiopia in several buses and then flown to Turkey from there.

  Ankara is also evacuating nationals from several countries such as Azerbaijan, Japan, China, Mexico and Yemen.

Fighting in Sudan: Thousands of US citizens are stuck in the country

Update from April 24, 1:15 p.m .:

According to several US broadcasters, around 16,000 US citizens are stuck in Sudan while the heavy fighting in the African country continues.

According to the US broadcaster CBS News, this is also confirmed by the State Department in Washington, citing a number of relevant documents.

The American embassy has already been evacuated.

Fighting in Sudan: First evacuation plane from the African country lands in Berlin

First report from April 24:

Khartoum/Berlin – In the course of the evacuation campaign, the first Bundeswehr aircraft from Sudan landed in Berlin.

At 6:15 a.m., “101 Germans, their families and members of other partner countries” landed in the capital in an Air Force aircraft, the Foreign Office said on Monday morning (April 24) on Twitter.

During the evacuation mission from Sudan, the Bundeswehr has brought more than 300 people to safety since Sunday.

The planes first landed in Jordan.

After two machines, each with 101 and 113 people on board, landed in the country on Sunday evening and during the night, “at 02:25 am the third Bundeswehr machine with around 100 people on board” landed in Jordan on Monday morning, said a spokesman for the Bundeswehr Operations Command the AFP news agency.

Fighting in Sudan: Three planes evacuated

"Both German citizens and members of other nations" were flown out with the three Airbus A400M aircraft.

The evacuations "worked well".

"The onward journey of the evacuated citizens of other nations will be coordinated with the states concerned," said the Operations Command.

In view of the escalating violence in Khartoum, Germany and numerous other countries had launched evacuation operations for their nationals in the north-east African country, including France, Italy, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

The United States and Great Britain had previously flown out embassy staff from Khartoum.

Sudan: Army and RSF militia fight

In Sudan, units of the army and the paramilitary RSF militia have been fighting each other for more than a week.

An agreement to integrate the RSF militia into the armed forces had previously failed.

More than 420 people have been killed and more than 3,700 injured in the fighting.

Several agreed ceasefires were broken.

The Chairwoman of the Bundestag Defense Committee, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), expressed her relief at the course of the Bundeswehr evacuation mission in Sudan.

"Three machines are out there," said Strack-Zimmermann on Monday to the broadcasters RTL and ntv.

This means that “a great many Germans have been saved”.

Fighting in Sudan: Situation on the ground extremely dangerous

The situation on site is extremely dangerous, she said.

It is therefore good that there have been agreements with the Sudanese civil war parties to agree on time windows in which flights to the country are possible.

She also praised the coordinated approach with Germany's international partners.

(with agency material)

List of rubrics: © Screenshot/AFP