Sudanese army calls on retired soldiers to get arms for self-defense

Khartoum, Sudan | Xinhua | Sudan’s acting Defense Minister Yassin Ibrahim Yassin Friday called on retired soldiers and whoever is able to carry arms to report to the nearest army base to get armed.

“We call on all pensioners of the armed forces, including officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers and all those who are able to carry arms, to go to the nearest military base to get armed,” Yassin Ibrahim Yassin said in a statement, adding that the move was intended to enable those people to defend themselves.

The statement stressed the Sudanese Army’s commitment to the humanitarian truce based on the moral responsibility to protect civilians and humanitarian aid, and accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of continuing its violations of the truce.

The statement described the clashes with the RSF as a “cities war” which has no time limits, stressing the Sudanese Army’s ability to defeat the remnants of the rebel force.

Earlier in the day, Saudi Arabia and the United States announced that Sudan’s warring parties are complying better with a seven-day cease-fire agreement signed on May 20 in the Saudi port city of Jeddah.

According to the agreement, which was brokered by Saudi Arabia and the United States and entered into force on Monday, the warring parties shall guarantee civilians’ freedom of movement throughout the country and protect them from violence, harassment, recruitment, or other abuses, as well as refrain from any violations of international human rights law. The parties shall also provide security guarantees for safe and unhindered access for humanitarian agencies.

In its latest update on the situation in Sudan on Wednesday, the International Organization for Migration said that the conflict in Sudan has forced more than 1.36 million people to flee their homes, including nearly 320,000 who have escaped to neighboring countries.

Sudan has been witnessing deadly armed clashes between the Sudanese Army and the RSF in the capital Khartoum and other areas since April 15.