(Geneva) A humanitarian convoy of the International Committee of the Red Cross was the target of a deadly attack on Sunday in Khartoum, which left two dead and seven injured, the ICRC announced, saying it was “devastated”.
The convoy, made up of three ICRC vehicles and three buses, all marked with the Red Cross, was to evacuate more than 100 civilians from the Sudanese capital to Wad Madani when it was attacked, the organization said in a statement. .
The attack took place in the Al-Shajara neighborhood.
The seven injured, including three ICRC employees, were taken to hospital.
“This attack is unacceptable and we are devastated,” said Pierre Dorbes, head of the ICRC delegation in Sudan.
“Our mission today was to bring these civilians to safety. Instead, lives were tragically lost. My heart goes out to the loved ones of those killed, and we desperately hope that those injured make a full recovery.”
The ICRC said the operation was requested by and coordinated with the parties to the conflict, who agreed and provided the necessary security guarantees.
Since April, forces loyal to army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan have been at war with rapid support paramilitary forces commanded by his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
More than 12,000 people have been killed, according to a conservative estimate by the Armed Conflict and Event Data Project, while the United Nations says nearly 6.8 million people have been forced to flee their homes.
The Geneva-based ICRC said Sunday’s operation was aimed at evacuating civilians – including the sick, children, orphans and the elderly – from an area where fighting is intense. .
“As a neutral intermediary, the ICRC is ready to continue these evacuations in Sudan, provided that the parties to the conflict respect the emblems of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, which must never be targeted,” said the ICRC.