The United States, Britain and international organizations, led by the United Nations, expressed their deep concern over the escalation of battles in Sudan between the army and the Rapid Support Forces and called on the parties to the conflict for an immediate ceasefire, as did Turkey and African and Arab countries.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed grave concern over reports of "escalating violence" in Sudan, described the situation in Khartoum as "fragile" and urged all parties to avoid further escalation and continue talks to resolve outstanding issues.
He added that the main parties in Khartoum reached an important framework agreement on how to proceed with the transition to a civilian government a few weeks ago, but other actors may be working against this progress. "This is a real opportunity to move forward with a civilian-led transition, and it is an opportunity that we and other countries are trying to promote," he said.
For his part, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly called on the Sudanese leadership to rein in its forces and stop the escalation after the Rapid Support Forces clashed with the army, and said via Twitter, "The violence throughout Sudan must stop immediately," stressing that "military action will not lead to resolving this situation."
The British Embassy in Sudan also said it was closely monitoring the situation in Khartoum and elsewhere in the country, and urged its nationals to stay at home and follow its travel recommendations.
Russia's Foreign Ministry called on both sides to hold negotiations, saying in a statement: "We urge the parties to the conflict to show political will, show restraint and take immediate steps for a ceasefire."
The Russian Embassy in Sudan also expressed concern about the escalation of violence in the country, calling on the parties to the conflict to a quick ceasefire and negotiations to stabilize the situation, and urged its citizens in Sudan to stay at home and exercise restraint.
International Organizations
At the international level, EU foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell expressed the EU's concern over the news of the fighting in Sudan, and said that the EU calls on all forces in Sudan to stop the violence immediately, adding that "escalation will only exacerbate the situation. Protecting citizens is a priority."
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, also expressed deep concern about the armed conflict in Sudan, saying in a tweet that "there is an urgent need to give priority to the voice of reason to stop the violence and return to the promising previous path towards peace and civil transition."
For his part, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, expressed the Union's concern over the current events in Sudan, and said, "We are closely following with deep concern the developments in the Republic of Sudan," and the Chairperson of the Commission appealed to all warring parties to stop what he described as "bloodbaths, destruction of the country and terrorizing civilians," and called on the parties to the conflict to immediately return to the negotiating table to resolve the crisis.
Urgent appel pour un cessez- le feu au Soudan https://t.co/pHcG00U63n pic.twitter.com/1zztP3XFek
— African Union (@_AfricanUnion) April 15, 2023
The head of the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNTAMIS), Volker Perthes, said that they had reached out to both parties in Sudan, calling for an immediate cessation of fighting and the restoration of the country's Haggdo, and Peretz expressed the mission's strong condemnation of the outbreak of fighting in the country.
For its part, the Arab League, through its Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, called for an immediate de-escalation and bloodshed in Sudan, and expressed "deep concern and concern" over the current combat operations in Khartoum and other areas. Aboul Gheit called for the need to stop the escalation and stop the bloodshed immediately, and said that the General Secretariat is ready to intervene with the parties to achieve this.
Arab concern, calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities
At the Arab level, Egypt expressed its deep concern over the developments in Sudan, and called on all Sudanese parties to exercise "restraint", and said in a statement by its Foreign Ministry that Egypt is following with great concern the developments of the situation in Sudan and calls on all Sudanese parties to exercise maximum restraint to protect the lives and capabilities of the Sudanese people and uphold the supreme interests of the country.
For its part, Qatar called for an immediate cessation of fighting between the conflicting parties in Sudan and the resolution of differences through dialogue, and expressed in a statement to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs its "deep concern over the developments in Khartoum and Meroe in Sudan," and called on the conflicting parties to immediately stop the fighting, exercise maximum restraint, resort to the voice of reason, and adopt peaceful ways to overcome differences.
In turn, Saudi Arabia called on the military component and political leaders in Sudan to "exercise wisdom and restraint" and expressed in a statement to its Foreign Ministry "grave concern over the state of escalation and military clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces," and called on all parties to give priority to the language of dialogue and unification in a way that contributes to completing the consensus achieved.
In a phone call, the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the United States also discussed the situation in Sudan and called for a military de-escalation and a return to the framework political agreement.
The UAE also called on all parties in Sudan to show restraint, de-escalate and work to end the crisis through dialogue, the Emirates News Agency said, adding that the UAE embassy in Khartoum is "following with great concern" the current events in Sudan, and stresses the UAE's "firm position on the need to de-escalate and work to find a peaceful solution to the crisis between the parties concerned."
Jordan called on all parties in Sudan to exercise restraint and stop fighting immediately, expressing its "grave" concern over the developments there, and called in a statement by its Foreign Ministry to "return to dialogue and calm, and to abide by the political framework agreement in a way that establishes a new phase that meets the aspirations and aspirations of the Sudanese people, and contributes to strengthening security and political and economic stability in the country."
For its part, Tunisia, through its foreign ministry, called on all Sudanese parties to reduce the escalation and adopt the highest levels of restraint, and said that Tunisia is following with concern the developments of the current events in Sudan, expressing its "grave concern" at the state of the security situation, and calling on all Sudanese parties to reduce the escalation, adopt the highest levels of self-control, arbitrate the voice of reason and adopt dialogue as a way to defuse the crisis.
Turkey and Africa
On the Islamic level, Turkey expressed concern over the clashes that broke out on Saturday morning between the army and the Rapid Support Forces The Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it is concerned about the armed clashes that took place in Sudan and called on all parties to adhere to the gains of the transitional process and to calm and dialogue, stressing that a lasting solution to Sudan's problems can only be found through national consensus.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on the Sudanese parties to exercise restraint, stop fighting and return to the path of dialogue, saying in a statement posted on Twitter that the federal government is following with great concern and great interest the current clashes in Sudan, expressing his readiness to mediate to resolve the "serious" conflict between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
For its part, the government of Chad closed its border with Sudan on Saturday and called for calm, and appealed in a statement to the regional and international community "and all friendly countries to give priority to the return of peace."