Fierce clashes between Sudan’s military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted in the capital and elsewhere after weeks of escalating tension. AP
Fierce clashes between Sudan’s military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted in the capital and elsewhere after weeks of escalating tension. AP
Fierce clashes between Sudan’s military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted in the capital and elsewhere after weeks of escalating tension. AP
Fierce clashes between Sudan’s military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces erupted in the capital and elsewhere after weeks of escalating tension. AP

International community calls for ceasefire as fighting erupts in Sudan


Patrick deHahn
  • English
  • Arabic

Follow the latest news from the Sudan crisis here

The international community on Saturday called for an end to deadly violence in Sudan, where battles erupted between the nation's army and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group in the capital Khartoum.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres “strongly condemns the outbreak of fighting”, his representative said.

He called on the RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces to “immediately cease hostilities, restore calm and initiate a dialogue to resolve the current crisis”, the representative added.

Mr Guterres' spokesperson later said the UN chief had spoken with the leaders of Sudan's army, the RSF, in addition to the African Union and Egypt.

Saudi and United Arab Emirates foreign ministers held a joint call with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the developing situation.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a post on Twitter that he was “deeply concerned” about the violence.

“We urge all actors to stop the violence immediately and avoid further escalations or troop mobilisation and continue talks to resolve outstanding issues,” he said.

The UAE had already called on all parties to de-escalate in order to return to discussions for peace and government building, Wam reported.

“The UAE Embassy in Khartoum is following with great concern the developments in Sudan and has reaffirmed the UAE’s position on the importance of de-escalation, and working towards finding a peaceful solution to the crisis between the concerned parties,” its statement said.

“Furthermore, the embassy stresses the importance of efforts aimed at supporting the political process and achieving national consensus towards the formation of a government.”

The Russian Foreign Ministry called for a “ceasefire immediately” in Sudan, the Moscow-affiliated Tass news agency reported.

“We are calling on the conflicting sides to show political will and restraint and to take steps towards a ceasefire immediately,” it said.

Saturday's violence was seen as some of the fiercest fighting since a 2021 military takeover and attempts to restore the country's democratic transition.

Recently, there have been continuing issues over the integration of the RSF into the nation's armed forces as part of the transition.

There were reports on Saturday of tanks and rocket launchers being used in Khartoum, a city of five million people, after the RSF said it seized key sites in Khartoum including the airport ― as the military disputed the claims.

The Sudan Doctors' Union reported to Reuters that at least 25 people have been killed, along with 183 injured.

US ambassador to Sudan John Godfrey tweeted from the American embassy in the capital, while sheltering from the fierce fighting outside.

“I just arrived late last night in Khartoum and woke up to the deeply disturbing sounds of gunfire and fighting,” he said.

“I am currently sheltering in place with the Embassy team, as Sudanese through Khartoum and elsewhere are doing.”

He called for “senior military leaders to stop the fighting”.

Regional bodies including the African Union and Arab League expressed alarm over the violence.

The chairperson of the African Union, Moussa Faki Mahamat, called for a ceasefire.

He urged involved parties to “immediately stop the destruction of the country, the terrorisation of its population, and the bloodshed in the last ten days of the holy month of Ramadan”.

Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit voiced concern and emphasised the need to ensure the safety of Sudanese civilians, the UAE's Wam news agency reported. He also called for an end to the deadly violence.

UN human rights chief Volker Turk said that people in Sudan “deserve better” and UN emergency relief co-ordinator Martin Griffiths said “more violence will only make things worse”.

Nearby countries called for calm, including Sudan's neighbour to the north, Egypt.

Chad closed its border with Sudan along with its request for “a return to peace”.

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Race card

4pm Al Bastakiya Listed US$300,000 (Dirt) 1,900m

4.35pm Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,200m

5.10pm Nad Al Sheba Turf Group 3 $350,000 (Turf) 1,200m

5.45pm Burj Nahaar Group 3 $350,000 (D) 1,600m

6.20pm Jebel Hatta Group 1 $400,000 (T) 1,800m

6.55pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-3 Group 1 $600,000 (D) 2,000m

7.30pm Dubai City Of Gold Group 2 $350,000 (T) 2,410m

The National selections:

4pm Zabardast

4.35pm Ibn Malik

5.10pm Space Blues

5.45pm Kimbear

6.20pm Barney Roy

6.55pm Matterhorn

7.30pm Defoe

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

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Venom

Director: Ruben Fleischer

Cast: Tom Hardy, Michelle Williams, Riz Ahmed

Rating: 1.5/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)

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Sector: Technology and home services

Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai

Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month

Funding:  The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups. 

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street

The seven points are:

Shakhbout bin Sultan Street

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Rabdan Street

Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)

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Power: 727hp

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Transmission: 8-speed auto

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RESULTS
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Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill

Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.

Thor: Ragnarok

Dir: Taika Waititi

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Jeff Goldblum, Mark Ruffalo, Tessa Thompson

Four stars

EPL's youngest
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    15 years, 181 days old
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    15 years, 271 days old
  • Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
    16 years, 30 days old
  • Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
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The 12 breakaway clubs

England

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur

Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus

Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid

The Programme

Saturday, October 26: ‘The Time That Remains’ (2009) by Elia Suleiman
Saturday, November 2: ‘Beginners’ (2010) by Mike Mills
Saturday, November 16: ‘Finding Vivian Maier’ (2013) by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel
Tuesday, November 26: ‘All the President’s Men’ (1976) by Alan J Pakula
Saturday, December 7: ‘Timbuktu’ (2014) by Abderrahmane Sissako
Saturday, December 21: ‘Rams’ (2015) by Grimur Hakonarson

TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)

What is THAAD?

It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.

Production:

It was created in 2008.

Speed:

THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.

Abilities:

THAAD is designed to take out  ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".

Purpose:

To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.

Range:

THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.

Creators:

Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.

UAE and THAAD:

In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.

Updated: April 18, 2023, 8:49 AM`