Red Cross Reports Two Casualties in Sudan Aid Convoy Attack

The International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC) has reported that a deliberate attack on an aid convoy in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, resulted in two fatalities and seven injuries. The convoy, clearly marked with a Red Cross emblem, was supposed to evacuate over 100 civilians. Among the wounded were three ICRC staff members. The ICRC expressed shock and horror at the incident. Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for the past eight months. Earlier, the East African regional body IGAD announced a ceasefire commitment from both sides, along with plans for face-to-face talks. However, previous agreements have been broken. The attack occurred in the al-Shajara neighborhood in the western part of Khartoum. The ICRC had been coordinating the humanitarian operation with the conflicting parties, both of whom had provided security guarantees. The head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan condemned the attack, adding that the lives lost were a tragic consequence of the mission to bring civilians to safety. The evacuation operation has been postponed pending a new security assessment. The ICRC called for immediate protection for all civilians, including aid workers and medical personnel. Sudan has been under the control of a council of military generals since a coup two years ago, and disagreements between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the armed forces, and his deputy General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo have hindered progress towards civilian rule. The conflict in Sudan began in April when members of the Rapid Support Forces were deployed across the country, causing tensions with the army. Despite hopes for a resolution through talks, fighting has escalated in various regions, leading to the displacement of over six million people, according to the UN.