South Sudanese government soldier stands outside the military headquarters, after government forces retook the provincial capital of Bentiu, in Unity State, South Sudan, from rebel forces. The AU's commission of inquiry into human rights violations in South Sudan's civil war has fingered President Salva Kiir as bearing personal responsibility. File photo: Supplied
Addis Ababa - The African Union (AU) has adopted the Roadmap for the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan toward silencing the guns in Sudan.
The roadmap was adopted during the AU Peace and Security Council meeting that was held at the heads of state and government level on Saturday, focusing on the situation in Sudan, the AU said in a communique issued on Sunday.
The roadmap outlined six elements that include the establishment of a coordination mechanism to ensure all efforts by the regional and global actors are harmonized and impactful; an immediate, permanent, inclusive and comprehensive cessation of hostilities; and an effective humanitarian response.
The high-level meeting underscored the overriding importance of a single, inclusive and consolidated peace process for Sudan, coordinated under the joint auspices of the AU, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the League of Arab States and the United Nations, along with like-minded partners.
"The council, with deep concern, strongly condemns the ongoing senseless and unjustified conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has resulted in an unprecedented dire humanitarian situation, indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians," the statement said.
Sudan has witnessed deadly armed clashes between the SAF and the paramilitary RSF in the capital of Khartoum and other areas since April 15, with the two sides accusing each other of initiating the conflict. According to the Sudanese Doctors Union, the number of civilian deaths since the beginning of the clashes has risen to 863, with 3,531 injuries.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently said over 1 million people have been displaced since the conflict.
Xinhua