Sudanese civil war (2023–present)

"Sudan conflict" redirects here. For other conflicts in Sudan, see Sudanese Civil War (disambiguation).

2023 Sudan conflict
Military situation as of 1 July 2024    Controlled by the Sudanese Armed Forces    Controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (For a more detailed map of the current military situation, see here)
Date 15 April 2023 – present (2023-04-15 – present) (1 year, 2 months, 2 weeks and 2 days) Location Khartoum, Darfur region and other strategic areas in Sudan Status Ongoing Mass evacuation of foreign citizens from Sudan Humanitarian crisis Territorial changes Rapid Support Forces occupy parts of the capital Khartoum and Darfur region, including Khartoum International Airport, Nyala, Kabkabiya, Ed Daein, and Geneina Disputed control of key government sites
Belligerents
Rapid Support Forces Supported by: Libyan National Army Russia (Wagner Group)	Sudanese Armed Forces Supported by: Egypt
Commanders and leaders
Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo	Abdel Fattah al-Burhan
Strength
70,000–150,000	110,000–120,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	200 Egyptian servicemen captured
At least 559 killed and 4,000 injured

An armed conflict between rival factions of the military government of Sudan began on 15 April 2023. It started when clashes broke out in western Sudan, in the capital city of Khartoum, and in the Darfur region. As of 25 April, at least 559 people have been killed and more than 4,000 others had been injured.

The fighting began with attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on key government sites. Airstrikes, artillery, and gunfire were reported across Sudan including in Khartoum. As of 23 April 2023, both the RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" Dagalo and Sudan's de facto leader and army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan claimed control of several key government sites, including the general military headquarters, the Presidential Palace, Khartoum International Airport, Burhan's official residence, and the SNBC headquarters. The conflict between the two generals has led Sudan to the brink of renewed civil war, and it has been referred to as a "burgeoning civil war".

Background

Main article: History of Sudan

The history of conflicts in Sudan has consisted of foreign invasions and resistance, ethnic tensions, religious disputes, and competition over resources. In its modern history, two civil wars between the central government and the southern regions killed 1.5 million people, and a continuing conflict in the western region of Darfur has displaced two million people and killed more than 200,000 people. Since independence in 1956, Sudan has had more than fifteen military coups and it has also been ruled by the military for the majority of the republic's existence, with only brief periods of democratic civilian parliamentary rule.

Political context

Main article: Sudanese transition to democracy

Former president and military strongman Omar al-Bashir presided over the War in Darfur, a region in the west of the country, and oversaw state-sponsored violence in the region of Darfur, leading to charges of war crimes and genocide. Approximately 300,000 people were killed and 2.7 million forcibly displaced in the early part of the Darfur conflict; the intensity of the violence later declined. Key figures in the Darfur conflict included Hemedti, a warlord who commanded the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which evolved from the janjaweed, a collection of Arab militias drawn from camel-trading tribes active in Darfur and portions of Chad.

Al-Bashir relied upon the janjaweed and RSF to crush uprisings by ethnic Africans in the Nuba Mountains and Darfur. The RSF perpetrated mass killings, mass rapes, pillage, torture, and destruction of villages and were accused of committing ethnic cleansing against the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa. Key leaders in the RSF have been indicted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, although Hemedti was not personally implicated in the 2003–2004 atrocities. Bashir formalized the militias in 2013, creating the RSF as a paramilitary organization and giving its commanders formal military ranks; Hemedti was given the rank of lieutenant general. In 2017, a new Sudanese law gave the RSF the status of an "independent security force". Under the patronage of al-Bashir, Hemedti became wealthy and powerful, acquiring gold mines in Darfur. Bashir sent RSF forces to quash a 2013 uprising in South Darfur and also deployed RSF units to fight in Yemen and Libya. During this time, the RSF also developed a working relationship with the Russian private military outfit Wagner Group. These developments ensured that RSF forces grew into the tens of thousands, including thousands of armed pickup trucks, which regularly patrolled the streets of Khartoum. The Bashir regime allowed the RSF and other armed groups to proliferate to prevent threats to its security from within the armed forces, a practice known as "coup-proofing".

In December 2018, protests against al-Bashir's regime began, the first phase of the Sudanese Revolution. Eight months of sustained civil disobedience were met with violent repression. In April 2019, the military (including the RSF) ousted al-Bashir in a coup d'état, ending his three decades of rule; the army established a Transitional Military Council, a junta. Bashir was imprisoned in Khartoum; he was not turned over to the ICC, which had issued warrants for al-Bashir's arrest on charges of war crimes. Protests calling for civilian rule continued; in June 2019, the RSF perpetrated the Khartoum massacre, in which more than a hundred demonstrators were slain and dozens were raped. Hemedti denied orchestrating the attack.

In August 2019, after international pressure and mediation by the African Union and Ethiopia, the military agreed to share power in an interim joint civilian-military unity government (the Transitional Sovereignty Council), headed by a civilian Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok, with elections to take place in 2023. However, in October 2021, the military seized power in a coup led by Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Dagalo. The Transitional Sovereignty Council was reconstituted as a military junta led by Al-Burhan, monopolizing power and halting Sudan's brief transition to democracy.

Tensions between the RSF and the Sudanese junta began to escalate in February 2023, as the RSF began to recruit members from across Sudan. A brief military buildup in Khartoum was succeeded by an agreement for de-escalation, with the RSF withdrawing its forces from the Khartoum area. The junta later agreed to hand over authority to a civilian-led government, but it was delayed due to renewed tensions between generals Burhan and Dagalo, who serve as chairman and deputy chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council, respectively. Chief among their political disputes is the integration of the RSF into the military: the RSF insisted on a ten-year timetable for its integration into the regular army, while the army demanded integration within two years. Other contested issues included the status given to RSF officers in the future hierarchy, and whether RSF forces should be under the command of the army chief – rather than Sudan's commander-in-chief – who is currently al-Burhan. They have also clashed over authority over sectors of Sudan's economy that are controlled by the two factions. As a sign of their rift, Dagalo expressed regret over the October 2021 coup.

Prelude

On 11 April 2023, RSF forces deployed near the city of Merowe and in Khartoum. Government forces ordered them to leave, but they refused. This led to clashes when RSF forces took control of the Soba military base south of Khartoum. On 13 April, RSF forces began their mobilization, raising fears of a potential rebellion against the junta. The SAF declared the mobilization illegal.

Timeline

Main article: Timeline of the 2023 Sudan conflict

Casualties

As of 25 April, at least 559 people had been killed and more than 4,000 others had been injured, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and Sudan's Federal Health Ministry. The Sudan Doctors Syndicate said at least 436 civilians had been killed and 2,175 others injured. The United Nations Children's Fund said that at least nine children had been killed and 50 others had been injured in the fighting. On 6 May, Save the Children UK said that at least 190 children had been killed in the conflict. Doctors on the ground warned that stated figures do not include all casualties as many people could not reach hospitals due to difficulties in movement. A spokesperson for the Sudanese Red Crescent was also quoted as saying that the number of casualties "was not small".

By location

During initial clashes in El-Obeid and Khartoum at least three civilians were killed and dozens injured. A statement by the Sudan Doctors' Committee said two civilians were killed at Khartoum airport and another man was shot to death in the state of North Kordofan. Those killed at the airport were believed to be on board a passenger plane that was hit by a shell. Many bodies were seen lying on the streets of Khartoum, particularly around the defence ministry and airport, but could not be retrieved given the intensity of the fighting. A student was shot and killed at the University of Khartoum. A 6-year-old child died after the RSF shelled a hospital while an ambulance driver was reported to be among those injured. Asia Abdelmajid, one of Sudan’s most prominent actresses, was killed in a crossfire in Khartoum Bahri.

At least twenty five civilians were killed and 26 injured during clashes in North Darfur, and an additional three civilians were killed by a rocket-propelled grenade, with a woman also being injured by a bullet. A representative of Médecins Sans Frontières said at least 279 wounded people were admitted to the only functioning hospital in the state capital al-Fashir, of whom 44 died. In Foro Baranga in West Darfur, tens were reportedly killed and hundreds injured. In Nyala, in South Darfur, 8 civilians were killed during the ongoing clashes. Nearly 200 people died in ethnic clashes in Geneina, West Darfur.

Foreign casualties

According to a Syrian diplomat, fifteen Syrian citizens had been killed in Sudan. An Indian national working in Khartoum died after being hit by a stray bullet on 15 April. Two Americans were also killed, including a professor working in the University of Khartoum who was stabbed to death while evacuating. A two-year-old girl from Turkey was killed while her parents were injured after their house was struck by a rocket on 18 April. The SAF claimed that the Egyptian assistant military attaché was killed by RSF fire while driving his car in Khartoum, which was refuted by the Egyptian ambassador.

Two Greek nationals who were trapped in a church on 15 April suffered leg injuries in a crossfire when they tried to leave. A Filipino migrant worker and an Indonesian student at a school in Khartoum were injured by stray bullets. On 17 April, the European Union Ambassador to Sudan, Aidan O'Hara of Ireland, was assaulted by unidentified "armed men wearing military fatigues" in his home and suffered minor injuries but was able to resume working on 19 April. On 23 April, a French evacuation convoy was shot at, leaving one injured. The French government later confirmed the casualty to be one of its soldiers. An employee of the Egyptian embassy was shot and injured during an evacuation mission.

Casualties among humanitarian workers

In Kabkabiya, three employees of the World Food Programme (WFP) were killed after being caught in the crossfire at a military base. Two other staff members were seriously injured. On 18 April, the EU's top humanitarian aid officer in Sudan, Wim Fransen of Belgium, was shot in Khartoum and suffered serious injuries. On 21 April, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that one of its local employees was killed in a crossfire while travelling with his family near El-Obeid.

Foreign involvement

Libya

On 18 April, a SAF general claimed that two unnamed neighboring countries were trying to provide aid to the RSF. According to The Wall Street Journal, Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar, who is backed by the United Arab Emirates and the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group, dispatched at least one plane to fly military supplies to the RSF. The Observer reported that Haftar assisted in preparing the RSF for months before the conflict broke out. The Libyan National Army, which is commanded by Haftar, denied providing support to any warring groups in Sudan and said it was ready to play a mediating role.

Wagner Group

Prior to the conflict, the UAE and the Wagner Group have been involved in business deals with the RSF. According to CNN, Wagner supplied surface-to-air missiles to the RSF, picking up the items from Syria and delivering some of them by plane to Haftar-controlled bases in Libya to be then delivered to the RSF, while dropping other items directly to RSF positions in northwestern Sudan. American officials also said that Wagner was offering to supply additional weapons to RSF from its existing stocks in the Central African Republic. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended the possible involvement of the Wagner Group, saying that Sudan had the right to use its services. The head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, denied supporting the RSF, saying that the company has not had a presence in Sudan for more than two years. In addition, the RSF denied allegations that Wagner Group was supporting them, instead stating that the SAF was seeking such support. Sudan's army chief, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, stated that "So far, there has been no confirmation about the Wagner Group's support for the RSF." The RSF has consistently denied the presence of Wagner on its territory.

Egypt

On 16 April, the RSF claimed that its troops in Port Sudan had been attacked by foreign aircraft and issued a warning against any foreign interference. According to former CIA analyst Cameron Hudson, Egyptian fighter jets are a part of these bombing campaigns against the RSF, and Egyptian special forces units have been deployed and are providing intelligence and tactical support to SAF. The Wall Street Journal said that Egypt had sent fighter jets and pilots to support the Sudanese military. On 17 April, satellite imagery obtained by The War Zone revealed that one Egyptian Air Force MiG-29M2 fighter jet had been destroyed and two others had been heavily damaged or destroyed at Merowe Airbase. A Sudanese Air Force Guizhou JL-9 was among the destroyed aircraft. After initial confusion, the RSF accepted the explanation that Egyptian equipment and supporting personnel were conducting exercises with the Sudanese military prior to the outbreak of hostilities.

Egyptian POWs

On 15 April, RSF forces claimed, via Twitter, to have taken several Egyptian troops prisoner near Merowe, as well as a military plane carrying markings of the Egyptian Air Force. Initially, no official explanation was given for the Egyptian soldiers' presence, while Egypt and Sudan have had military cooperation due to diplomatic tensions with Ethiopia. Later on, the Egyptian Armed Forces stated that around 200 of its soldiers were in Sudan to conduct exercises with the Sudanese military. Around that time, the SAF reportedly encircled RSF forces in Merowe airbase. As a result, the Egyptian Armed Forces announced that it was following the situation as a precaution for the safety of its personnel. The RSF later stated that it would cooperate in repatriating the soldiers to Egypt. On 19 April, the RSF stated that it had moved the soldiers to Khartoum and would hand them over when the "appropriate opportunity" arose. 177 of the captured Egyptian troops were released and flown back to Egypt aboard three Egyptian military planes that took off from Khartoum airport later in the day. The remaining 27 soldiers, who were from the Egyptian Air Force, were sheltered at the Egyptian embassy to be evacuated once the situation improved.

Ethiopia

On 19 April, the Sudanese newspaper Al-Sudani reported that the SAF had repelled an invasion by the Ethiopian Armed Forces in the disputed Al Fushqa District. The report alleged that the Ethiopian Army had carried out an attack with tanks, armored vehicles, and infantry and that the SAF had inflicted heavy losses on Ethiopian personnel and equipment. It said that the SAF was monitoring "unusual activity among the Ethiopian forces" since the start of hostilities with the RSF and that Ethiopian forces were carrying out intensive reconnaissance and surveillance operations along the border. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed denied that clashes had occurred, blaming agitators for the reports.

Evacuation of foreign nationals

Repatriations through the UCPM.

Main article: Evacuation of foreign nationals during the 2023 Sudan conflict

The outbreak of violence has led foreign governments to monitor the situation in Sudan and move towards the evacuation and repatriation of its nationals. Among some countries with a number of expatriates in Sudan are Egypt, which has more than 10,000 citizens in the country, and the United States, which has more than 16,000 citizens, most of whom are dual nationals. Efforts at extraction were hampered by the fighting within the capital Khartoum, particularly in and around the airport. This has forced evacuations to be undertaken by road via Port Sudan on the Red Sea, which lies about 650 km (400 miles) northeast of Khartoum. from where they were airlifted or ferried directly to their home countries or to third ones. Other evacuations were undertaken through overland border crossings or airlifts from diplomatic missions and other designated locations with direct involvement of the militaries of some home countries. Some major transit hubs used during the evacuation include the port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and Djibouti, which hosts military bases of the United States, China, Japan, France, and other European countries.

Humanitarian impact

Main article: Humanitarian crisis of the 2023 Sudan conflict

The humanitarian crisis following the fighting was further exacerbated by the violence occurring during a period of high temperatures, drought and it being the latter part of the fasting month of Ramadan. Most residents were unable to venture outside of their homes to obtain food and supplies for fear of getting caught in the crossfire. A doctors' group said that hospitals remained understaffed and were running low on supplies as wounded people streamed in. The World Health Organization recorded around 26 attacks on healthcare facilities, some of which resulted in casualties among medical workers and civilians. The Sudanese Doctors' Union said more than two-thirds of hospitals in conflict areas were out of service with 32 forcibly evacuated by soldiers or caught in the crossfire. The United Nations reported that shortages of basic goods, such as food, water, medicines and fuel have become "extremely acute". The delivery of badly-needed remittances from overseas migrant workers was also halted after Western Union announced it was closing all operations in Sudan until further notice. The World Food Programme said that more than $13 million worth of food aid destined for Sudan had been looted since the fighting broke out.

Refugees

Main article: 2023 Sudanese refugee crisis

The United Nations said on 2 May that the fighting in Sudan had produced around 334,000 internally displaced persons, while more than 100,000 had fled the country altogether. The International Organization for Migration estimated that around 70% of IDPs came from the Darfur region. The UN projected that the total number of refugees fleeing Sudan could reach more than 800,000 people.

Peace efforts

On 16 April, representatives from the SAF and the RSF agreed to a proposal by the United Nations to pause fighting between 16:00 and 19:00 local time (CAT). The SAF announced that it approved a UN proposal to open a safe passage for urgent humanitarian cases for three hours every day starting from 16:00 local time, and stated that it reserved the right to react if the RSF "commit[ted] any violations". Gunfire and explosives continued to be heard during the ceasefire, drawing condemnation from Special Representative Volker Perthes.

On 17 April, the governments of Kenya, South Sudan, and Djibouti expressed their willingness to send their presidents to Sudan to act as mediators. Khartoum Airport was closed due to fighting, making arrival by air difficult.

On 18 April, RSF commander Dagalo said the paramilitary force agreed to a day-long armistice to allow the safe passage of civilians, including those wounded. In a tweet, he said that the decision was reached following a conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken "and outreach by other friendly nations". The SAF initially said it was unaware of any coordination with mediators or the international community regarding a truce and claimed the RSF was planning to use this time to cover up for a "crushing defeat". An army general later confirmed that the SAF had agreed to a 24-hour ceasefire to start at 18:00 local time (16:00 UTC). After the start of the promised ceasefire, gunfire and shelling continued to be heard in the center of Khartoum. The SAF and the RSF issued statements accusing each other of failing to respect the ceasefire. The SAF's high command said it would continue operations to secure the capital and other regions.

On 19 April, both the SAF and the RSF said that they had agreed to another 24-hour ceasefire starting at 18:00 local time (16:00 GMT). Heavy fighting continued between the two sides after the ceasefire had supposedly begun.

On 21 April, the RSF said it would observe a 72-hour ceasefire which would come into effect at 6:00 (4:00 GMT) that day, the beginning of the Islamic holiday of Eid ul-Fitr. There was no immediate word from the SAF on whether it would reciprocate. Despite the SAF agreeing to a three-day truce later that afternoon, fighting continued throughout the day in Khartoum and other conflict zones. A new 72-hour ceasefire agreement was announced on 24 April, but fighting continued again.

On 26 April, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) proposed a 72-hour extension of the ceasefire, while South Sudan offered to host mediation efforts. The SAF said it supported the plan and would send an envoy to the South Sudanese capital Juba, to participate in the talks. The RSF announced its support for the extended ceasefire on 27 April. Fighting continued after the start of the extended ceasefire.

On 30 April, the RSF announced that the ceasefire was to be further extended by 72 hours, to which the SAF later agreed. Fighting continued during this ceasefire.

On 1 May, United Nations Special Envoy to Sudan Volker Perthes announced that the SAF and the RSF had agreed to send representatives for negotiations mediated by the UN, but did not give a date or venue for the talks.

On 2 May, South Sudan's Foreign Ministry said that the SAF and the RSF had agreed "in principle" to a weeklong ceasefire to start from 4 May, only for it to break down again. The Sudanese resistance committees stated that the proposed negotiations between the SAF and the RSF ignored "the only one affected by this war, the Sudanese people", and that the negotiations were aimed at the SAF and RSF "gain[ing] popular and political support".

On 6 May, delegates from the SAF and the RSF met directly for the first time in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia for what was described by the Saudis and the United States as "pre-negotiation talks". Jonathan Hutson of the Satellite Sentinel Project stated that a broad range of Sudanese civil society, "political parties, resistance committees, women's organisations, trade unions and human rights defenders", objected to both Burhan and Hemedti, seeing them as illegitimate leaders and insisted on participating in peace negotiations. The civil society activists called for paramilitary forces to be merged into the SAF under civilian authority.

Disinformation

On 14 April, the official SAF page published a video it said was of operations carried out by the Sudanese Air Force against the RSF. Al Jazeera's monitoring and verification unit claimed the video was fabricated using footage from the video game Arma 3 that was published on TikTok in March 2023. The unit also claimed the video showing Sudanese army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan inspecting the Armoured Corps was from before the fighting. A video reportedly of Sudanese helicopters flying over Khartoum to participate in operations by the SAF against the RSF, which also circulated on social media, turned out to be from November 2022.

Two photos widely circulated on social media that depicted a burning bridge reported as Bahri bridge and a bombed building allegedly in Khartoum, were both revealed to be from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In April, a video supposedly showing the RSF in control of the Khartoum International Airport on 15 April circulated on social media. The fact-checking website Lead Stories found that the video appeared online three months prior to the conflict.

Reactions

Domestic

Military

Rapid Support Forces: In an interview with Al Jazeera, Hemedti, commander of the RSF, accused Abdel Fattah al-Burhan of forcing the RSF to begin confrontations and accused SAF commanders of scheming to bring deposed leader Omar al-Bashir back to power. On Twitter, Dagalo called for the international community to intervene against Burhan, claiming that the RSF was fighting against radical militants.

Sudanese Armed Forces: The SAF accused the RSF of seditious conspiracy against the state and said that the RSF would be dissolved without discussion. It labeled Dagalo a criminal and issued a wanted notice for him. The SAF stated it would conduct sweeps for Rapid Support Forces and urged civilians to stay inside. The Sudanese Armed Forces' media representative told Al Jazeera that retired veterans had joined the SAF's fight against the RSF.

Civilian

Former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok publicly appealed to both al-Burhan and Dagalo to cease fighting.

On 18 April, el-Wasig el-Bereir of the National Umma Party was in communication with the SAF and the RSF to get them to stop fighting immediately, while el-Fateh Hussein of the Khartoum resistance committees called for the fighting to stop immediately, stating that the resistance committees had long called for the SAF to "return to their barracks" and for the RSF to be dissolved.

Sudanese resistance committees coordinated medical support networks, sprayed anti-war messages on walls, and encouraged local communities to avoid siding with either the RSF or the SAF. Hamid Murtada, a member of the resistance committees, described the resistance committees as having "an important role in raising awareness to their constituencies and in supporting initiatives that [would] end the war immediately".

On 22 and 23 April, protests against the conflict were held by residents in Khartoum Bahri, Arbaji, and Damazin.

International

On 19 April, diplomatic missions in Sudan, which included those of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union, issued a joint statement calling for fighting parties to observe their obligations under international law, specifically urging them to "protect civilians, diplomats and humanitarian actors," avoid further escalations and initiate talks to "resolve outstanding issues."

Countries

• Algeria called for "joint and urgent action to avoid further escalation and put an end to the fighting".
• Canada closed its embassy in Khartoum until further notice and advised its nationals to avoid all travel to Sudan.
• Chad closed its land border with Sudan. Defence Minister Daoud Yaya Brahim expressed concern that the interception of Sudanese soldiers within Chadian territory on 17 April could spill over into Darfur.
• China said that it was "closely following the latest developments" and called on both sides to end the fighting "as soon as possible" and prevent any escalation of tensions.
• Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and South Sudan's President Salva Kiir, both of whom lead two of Sudan's neighboring countries, offered to mediate between the warring sides. Egypt also closed its border with Sudan.
• Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki publicly criticized both the SAF and the RSF for hijacking the Sudanese Revolution and for their conduct in the conflict, calling for the existence of only one army in Sudan. While he said that the country's borders were open to those affected by the fighting, he insisted that no refugee camps would be established in Eritrea.
• Ethiopia and Kenya both urged restraint in light of the situation. Kenya had also announced they would evacuate their citizens, but the fighting in Sudan has delayed those plans.
• India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on 21 April to discuss the situation in Sudan and prepare measures for the security and evacuation of its citizens there.
• Israel proposed hosting Generals Burhan and Dagalo for ceasefire talks, saying one of its senior officials was doing progress in mediating between the two.
• Malaysia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the violence and called for meaningful dialogue between all parties involved in the conflict. Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir revealed that the ministry had activated a "Sudan Operation" and a special team to ensure their safety and welfare.
• Norway has advised its citizens to avoid any travel to Sudan.
• Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it was closely monitoring the security situation in Sudan and contacting the thousand-member Pakistani population in Khartoum to ensure their safety.
• Portugal's President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced Sunday in a press conference with Brazil's President Lula da Silva that Portugal would work with Brazil to begin a "rapid withdrawal" of both Portuguese and Brazilian nationals.
• Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud made two phone calls on 16 April with Generals Burhan and Dagalo calling for an end to the violence and the resumption of the transition to a civilian-led government in Sudan.
• South Africa announced that it would begin evacuating South African citizens from Sudan on 24 April. President Cyril Ramaphosa also said that South Africa would assist neighboring countries with the return of their citizens as well.
• Spain's Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said that its government supports efforts to restore peace to Sudan and continue its democratic transition.
• Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the government will evacuate its embassy staff and their families from Sudan as soon as an available situation appears.
• Tanzania said it was planning to evacuate its 210 citizens from Sudan. Foreign Minister Stergomena Tax told parliament that the government was communicating with the Tanzanian embassy in Khartoum for updates and coordinating with neighboring countries and bodies such as the African Union and the United Nations.
• Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held separate phone calls with Generals Burhan and Dagalo calling on both sides to end the conflict and return to negotiations.
• United Kingdom Foreign Secretary James Cleverly cut short a visit to New Zealand and cancelled a succeeding trip to Samoa to focus on monitoring the situation in Sudan.
• United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for de-escalation and peace talks. He reiterated demands for a ceasefire in separate phone calls with Generals Burhan and Dagalo and called an attack on a US diplomatic convoy in Darfur on 17 April as "reckless, irresponsible and unsafe". President Joe Biden ordered an additional deployment of troops to its base in Djibouti to assist in the evacuation of American citizens from Sudan. On 4 May, he issued an executive order authorizing sanctions for those deemed responsible for destabilizing the country, undermining the democratic transition and communicating human rights abuses.
• In his Sunday message from Vatican City on 23 April, Pope Francis called the situation in Sudan grave and called for dialogue between the warring factions.

Organizations

• The African Union called for a political solution to the crisis. The body's Peace and Security Council said that it "strongly rejects any external interference that could complicate the situation in Sudan" after an emergency meeting. It also announced that the head of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, was planning to "immediately" go on a ceasefire mission to Sudan.
• The Arab League called for an immediate end to the violence in Sudan and offered to mediate between the country's warring sides in a statement issued following an emergency meeting in Cairo.
• The European Union's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell confirmed EU staff were all accounted for and called for an immediate end to the violence. He also called the attack on its Ambassador Aidan O'Hara in Khartoum a gross violation of the Vienna Convention. EU spokeswoman Nabila Massrali told AFP news agency the EU delegation had not been evacuated from Khartoum following the attack.
• The Intergovernmental Authority on Development, an East African trade bloc, held an emergency meeting on the situation in Sudan and said it plans to send Kenyan President William Ruto, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh to Khartoum as soon as possible to reconcile the conflicting groups.
• United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for an immediate cessation of all hostilities and condemned the killing of several World Food Programme employees in Sudan, describing the deaths as "appalling". He also expressed concern that the conflict in Sudan could escalate into a disastrous regional conflict.