APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African bloc, on Monday called for unconditional ceasefire between Sudanese warring parties.
In a communiqué issued at the end of a one-day meeting of IGAD heads of state in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, IGAD said it strongly urged Sudanese the warring parties to sign an indefinite ceasefire.
The communiqué called on the warring parties to immediately stop the violence and called for an effective enforcement and monitoring mechanism.
IGAD also underscored its call for Sudanese leaders to have face-to-face meetings, saying the ongoing military conflict in the country has no military solution.
“IGAD expressed deep concern regarding the impact of the ongoing war in Sudan which has so far killed thousands of people and displaced almost 3 million people including 615,000 refugees,” said the communiqué.
It also expressed concern over the escalation of the conflict outside of the country’s capital Khartoum.
Brutal fighting erupted in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on April 15 and swiftly spread in different parts of the country.
The east African leaders who attended the meeting also proposed for deployment a peace keeping force in Sudan to safeguard civilians and ensure ease access of food aid to the needy.
MG/as/APA