The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Sunday, described the clash between rival military factions in Sudan as “unfortunate.
He also said the war-torn country deserves a season of relative peace after decades of infighting.
“The situation in Sudan is unfortunate,” Buhari said when he received the Transitional President of Chad, Gen. Mahamat Itno, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
According to a statement signed by the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the two leaders reviewed the situation and called on all neighbouring countries and the international community to prevail on the warring sides to negotiate.
On Saturday, Sudan’s military and a powerful paramilitary unit, Rapid Support Forces, engaged in fierce fighting in the capital, Khartoum and in other parts of the country, quenching hopes for an expected transition to democracy.
As fighting entered its second day, at least 56 civilians were confirmed dead and about 600 injured, mostly in the capital, local media reports.
In the statement titled ‘President Buhari, Chadian leader agonize over ongoing crisis in Sudan,’ Buhari said the ongoing fight was unwelcome.
“The situation in Sudan is unfortunate,” said the President, adding that the country deserved peace after all that it had gone through in the past.
He commended the Chadian leader for his “efforts to see a calming down, and for them to live peacefully. But you have to keep trying.”
Deby-Itno told Buhari that the situation in Sudan was worrisome because it could spill into other countries.
“Unfortunately, if not arrested, it will have serious repercussions on neighbouring countries,” he stated.
As for his country’s response to the crisis, the Chadian leader said, “We have closed our borders to Sudan and reinforced our security.
“I have spoken to the leaders of both factions. If everyone tries, it will calm down the situation. African leaders, especially the elders (President Buhari), Macky Sall (Senegal) and AU Chairperson Azali Assoumani(Comoros)need to step in. For two days, they have been killing themselves.”
He wished Buhari a successful Umrah saying “all the best as you prepare to leave office.”
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