Somali students trapped in Sudan conflict

A Sudanese man walks in a nearly deserted street in Khartoum on Thursday. - / AFP / Getty Images

KHARTOUM, Sudan - Somali students in Sudan are facing a hard situation following ongoing fighting between two rival forces, state media reports, with the fighting escalating on Tuesday evening despite the declaration of a temporary ceasefire between the Sudan Armed Forces [SAF] and the Rapid Support Forces [RSF].

Forces loyal to General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo [RSF] continued to wrestle strategic areas across the country from Gen. Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan's military, eyewitnesses said, despite the former engaging US Secretary of State Antony Blinken over the deteriorating situation in the country.

A number of students who spoke to state media acknowledged that they were facing difficulties ranging from lack of electricity and water for the last three days while some missing food. The Sudanese army has been bombing civilian residences, doctors confirmed in a statement.

“Until this morning, we have been working to evacuate mostly female students who are trapped in areas of Khartoum where there has been intense fighting,” said one of the students who volunteered to help their brothers. “There are still some students who are still trapped in some neighborhoods and we have not been able to go to them.”

Reports indicate that some girls have been trapped in Omdurman, a busy town within the country, and the two are said not to have gotten an opportunity to go out. They are said to have gone missing for the last three days due to intensified fighting between the two rivals.

Rescuers say, “So far, they have not received any help. They are hiding in the basement under the stairs. Their condition is dangerous. Today, a military plane crashed near them.

“The situation is dire,” said one of the two girls, her voice trembling with emotion. “The bullets are firing heavily, nonstop. We request to be contacted as soon as possible and told when the rescuers are coming to us. Our phones are nearly about to die, and we haven’t had electricity for the past two days. Please help us.”

Somalia had hinted that it will use buses to evacuate her nationals from Sudan, with the immediate option being taking them to neighboring Ethiopia and South Sudan. There are no planes for immediate evacuation, top government officials said.

“The best solution is to get boys in Omdurman to pick up the girls and take the two girls to other girls in Omdurman.”The situation of the conflict is getting worse, and President Hassan Sheik Mohamud has suggested to both sides to negotiate and compromise.

“Our painful experience in Somalia is that conflicts are easy to start but prove very difficult to end,” President Mohamud said, urging his Sudanese counterparts to think twice before allowing the situation to deteriorate further.

The African Union and IGAD have called for an immediate ceasefire between the two warring parties which has left over 270 people dead and scores injured. Integration of RSF into the military has been borne of contention but international partners are confident that a truce shall be reached soon.

GAROWE ONLINE