Organization of Islamic Cooperation appeals for urgent aid to conflict-torn Sudan

By Ibrahim El-Khazen

ANKARA (AA) - The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has appealed for urgent humanitarian aid to Sudan amid the ongoing fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.

At least 550 people have been killed and more than 4,900 injured in fighting between the two military rivals since April 15, according to Sudan's Health Ministry.

In a statement, the Jeddah-based grouping said OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha “made an urgent appeal to the OIC Member States, financial and humanitarian institutions and international donors to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to Sudan.”

Taha called on the donors and partners to “focus on the provision of medical supplies and health services to Sudan.”

He also appealed for support for “Sudan’s neighboring countries’ efforts in hosting the numerous Sudanese and foreign refugees.”

The OIC also called for “the full respect of the humanitarian principles and standards and invited the parties to facilitate the delivery of the humanitarian assistance to those in need in different parts of the country.”

Representatives of the Sudanese army and the RSF held their first face-to-face talks in Saudi Arabia on Saturday in an effort to resolve their dispute.

A disagreement had been fomenting in recent months between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary force over RSF integration into the armed forces, a key condition of Sudan's transition agreement with political groups.

Sudan has been without a functioning government since October 2021, when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government and declared a state of emergency in a move decried by political forces as a "coup."

Sudan's transitional period, which started in August 2019 after the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir, had been scheduled to end with elections in early 2024.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi​​​​​​​