WASHINGTON, April 18. /TASS/. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had separate phone calls with Sudanese Armed Forces Commander General Abdel Fattah al Burhan, who also chairs the Sovereign Council of Sudan, and with General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), who also serves as al Burhan’s deputy in the Sovereign Council, US Department of State Principal Deputy Spokesman Vedant Patel said Tuesday.
During the calls, the Secretary of State, who is currently in Japan, "underscored the urgency of reaching a ceasefire to permit the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those affected by the fighting, the reunification of Sudanese families, and allow the international community in Khartoum to make sure its presence is secure."
"The Secretary expressed his grave concern about the death and injury of so many Sudanese civilians due to the sustained, indiscriminate fighting, and stressed the responsibility of the two generals to ensure the safety and wellbeing of civilians, diplomatic personnel, and humanitarian workers," Patel said.
The situation in Sudan escalated due to disagreements between al Burhan and Dagalo. On April 15, the two forces clashed near cities of Khartoum and Merowe. According to the medics, over 100 civilians were killed in the hostilities, while the World Health Organization reports over 1,000 injured.