Death Toll from Fighting in Sudan Reaches 270; Thousands Injured

In Sudan, 270 people have died and over 2,600 have been injured as a result of military operations between the armed forces and rapid response forces, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"The situation in Sudan is deeply concerning. The Sudanese Ministry of Health's Emergency Operations Center reports that 270 people have lost their lives, and more than 2,600 have been injured," Ghebreyesus stated during a briefing.

"Unfortunately, three World Food Programme workers have been killed," he added. Earlier reports indicated the death toll was over 180 with nearly 1,800 injuries.

The WHO chief has called on "all parties to heed calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and strive for peaceful resolution." Meanwhile, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths reported that the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was looted in Darfur on Monday.

"We are receiving reports of attacks on humanitarian workers and sexual violence (...). This is unacceptable and must stop," he wrote on his Twitter account.

The situation in the country worsened last week when clashes erupted between the army and rapid response forces in the capital Khartoum and several other cities, involving the use of heavy weapons. Statements from the Armed Forces Command indicate that the current crisis began when the armed forces besieged one of their bases in southern Khartoum without prior notice.

The military command explained its actions by stating that the rapid response forces have acted without coordination with the military on several occasions recently.

On Tuesday, it was reported that Sudan's armed forces announced a 24-hour ceasefire agreement with the opposing group. However, according to the Associated Press, citing the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors, fighting continues between the army and the paramilitary group despite the announced ceasefire.