APA-Pretoria (South Africa) South Africa has appealed to factions of the Sudanese army to stop fighting and seek a negotiated settlement of their differences, according to a senior government official in Pretoria on Saturday.
A power struggle erupted on Saturday between the Sudan Armed Forces and its paramilitary counterpart known as the Rapid Support Forces over control of the main airport in Khartoum and several other sites in the capital, including the presidential palace, state television and army headquarters.
The clashes erupted after tensions over a proposed transition to civilian rule, with reports saying at least 50 people, including civilians, have been killed.
Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation spokesperson Clayson Monyela said South Africa “strongly condemns” the fighting and called on the warring parties to return to the negotiating table to agree on a sustainable military and security reform programme as part of the final agreement towards the restoration of a civilian-led transitional government in Sudan.
“The situation in Sudan is disturbing as it affects ordinary people who have suffered from instability in the country for a long time,” he said.
South Africa called for peace and calm between the two parties “involved in the conflict in keeping with the African Union (AU)’s objective of silencing he guns on the continent,” Monyela said.
In this regard, he said, South Africa joined the AU, Intergovernmental Authority for Development and United Nations secretary general Antonio Guterres in calling for the parties to return to the negotiating table with the aim of transitioning the country to a civilian-led government.
NM/jn/APA