Sudan: WHO warns of biological hazard in Khartoum

Deutsche Welle

25 Apr 2023, 18:14

One of the warring parties in Sudan has captured a lab with various pathogens, including cholera bacteria, the WHO has warned. A three-day cease-fire brokered by the US is mostly holding.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) said Khartoum residents were at risk due to one of the fighting factions in Sudan capturing a laboratory which is holding various pathogens. The UN body did not say which of the two sides involved in the current conflict was occupying the facility. The lab is storing cholera bacteria and other potentially dangerous items.

Technicians had been unable to access the National Public Health Laboratory to secure the materials, the WHO's Nima Saeed Abid told reporters in Geneva via video link from Sudan.

"This is the main concern: no accessibility to the lab technicians to go to the lab and safely contain the biological material and substances available," he said, speaking of a "huge biological risk."

Fighting in Sudan between armed forces loyal to de facto leader General Abdel-Fattah Burhan and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitaries supporting his deputy, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, broke out on April 15.

At least 459 people have been killed, according to WHO figures, and hospitals and essential services have been paralyzed.

The intense fighting has forced the UN's humanitarian office (OCHA) to scale back some of its activities in parts of the country, and two other UN agencies, the International Organization for Migration and the World Food Program, have suspended work after some of their staff were killed.

Sudan truce holds overnight despite sporadic gunfire in Khartoum

Following the announcement of the US-brokered cease-fire agreement late on Monday, the night passed without much incident.

There were, however, reports of sporadic gunfire in the capital, Khartoum.

The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces accused the Sudanese Armed Forces of breaking the terms of the cease-fire by flying its aircraft over the city, AFP reported.

The regular army has carried out numerous airstrikes over the past 10 days.

According to the UN, at least 3,700 have been wounded since fighting broke out between the RSF and the military.

UK announces evacuation of citizens

The British government on Tuesday announced it will be initiating the evacuation of its citizens from Sudan. This comes after Sudan's opposing factions agreed on a temporary cease-fire lasting for 72 hours.

"The government has begun a large-scale evacuation of British passport holders from Sudan on RAF flights," Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Twitter.

According to the British government, military flights will be departing from an airfield located outside of Khartoum. These flights will be available only to individuals with British passports, with priority given to family groups accompanied by children, senior citizens and individuals with medical conditions.

On Sunday, Britain airlifted diplomats out of Sudan, but the move has sparked criticism that ordinary UK citizens had been left behind.

Switzerland looking for evacuation opportunities

Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said Tuesday that they are closely monitoring the situation in Sudan to identify any opportunities to evacuate their citizens who are still in the country.

However, he also admitted it might not be possible to evacuate those individuals who also hold Sudanese nationality.

Switzerland has already closed its embassy in Sudan and successfully evacuated its staff and their families during a brief cease-fire. They arrived in Bern early on Tuesday morning.

Speaking at the Bern airport, Cassis explained there are "windows of opportunity" to evacuate those who wish to leave the country and are allowed to do so.

He also mentioned that Switzerland is working with other Western nations on possible further repatriation.

The majority of the roughly 100 Swiss nationals who remain in Sudan are joint nationals with Sudanese passports, according to the foreign minister.

France evacuates 538 people

French President Emmanuel Macron said France has evacuated 538 people from Sudan, after the cease-fire came into force. Of those people, 209 were French citizens, he added.

Macron also said the injuries sustained by a French soldier during the evacuation were no longer life-threatening.

The French Foreign Ministry had earlier announced it had closed its embassy in Khartoum "until further notice."

Maersk suspends Sudan bookings

The container shipping company, A.P. Moller-Maersk, has announced it has suspended all new bookings of goods for Sudan due to the ongoing violent clashes in the country.

Maersk further stated that it is keeping a close watch on the situation and exploring ways to maintain the stability of its supply chain services in Sudan.

"Given the current situation, we have temporarily halted new bookings until the situation improves," the Danish shipping giant said in its statement.

Cyprus offers to assist evacuations

Authorities in Cyprus announced they have activated a rescue mechanism to evacuate third-country nationals from Sudan.

"The Republic of Cyprus intends to offer facilities to friendly countries for the repatriation of their nationals through Cyprus," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Cyprus officials have offered assistance in similar crises before — most notably when tens of thousands had to be evacuated from Lebanon in 2006.

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