Muslim faithful in Sudan, on Wednesday at Port Sudan gathered to observe the Eid-al-Adha prayers while fighting continued in both Khartoum and West Darfur.
General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, the paramilitary commander of the RSF, declared a two-day unilateral ceasefire on Monday in advance of the Muslim holiday.
Daglo acknowledged the difficult humanitarian conditions brought on by the war and expressed the hope that the holiday would present a chance for peace among the Sudanese people.
General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan urged young men to join the armed forces and called for a unilateral ceasefire in a speech that was broadcast on television on Tuesday.
Fighting has increased recently after several ceasefire agreements reached talks mediated by the United States and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah failed to hold.
The conflict in western Sudan, according to the UN, has reached “alarming levels,” and Western countries have denounced “widespread human rights violations, conflict-related sexual violence, and targeted ethnic violence in Darfur.”
One of the most significant Muslim holidays, Eid al-Adha, or the Festival of Sacrifice, marks the conclusion of the yearly Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.
The refugee crisis, raging war, and lack of humanitarian aid make for a gloomy celebration.
Africa