Two Greeks were apparently injured in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan during heavy clashes that broke out on Saturday between army forces and paramilitary units. He broadcast the news speaking to ERT the metropolitan of Nubia Savvas.

The honorary consul of Greece in Sudan, says that one cannot move outside, as there are stray bullets. The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs calls on the members of the Greek community to avoid unnecessary travel and to observe the maximum possible security measures. As he said, at the time of the service of the first Resurrection, the church was surrounded by armored personnel carriers and a rocket fell, injuring two Greeks.

“Two Greeks came and informed us that we have to stop because outside the temple there are many tanks, a lot of army and the situation is dangerous. We shortened the operation, but we had an unpleasant event as these Greeks were leaving the church and heading home, because they live in the Greek community, a rocket fell next to them and injured them very seriously. They are in the hospital, we are waiting to see if they will be operated on or not” pointed out and added:

“They are hitting the Metropolis with bullets, there are Greek flags outside and this has never happened before. The situation is very bad, smoke is coming from everywhere. Apparently they have hit ministries because around the Metropolis are the ministries of foreign affairs, interior, justice, the palace. Apparently they’re hitting the ministries I imagine because you can’t go out it’s too dangerous.”

The honorary and unpaid consul of Greece in Sudan, Gerasimos Pagoulatos, points out: “Right now Khartoum is dangerous. A couple of days must pass, the situation should be defused so that some planes can be landed and in conjunction with the EU which has supervision, some evacuation can be done if necessary.”

Fierce fighting between army and paramilitaries with dead and wounded

Global concern has been sparked by the chaos that has erupted since Saturday morning in Sudan with the Rapid Support Force (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) exchanging fire. At least three civilians have been killed, according to the Sudanese Medical Commission at the airport and dozens more have been injured across the country.

The clashes come after months of tension in the region between the armed forces and the Rapid Support Force group, and after years of political turmoil following the October 2021 military coup. However, fighting today erupted over a dispute over the timetable for the integration of the RSF to the SAF as part of a power-sharing deal with civilians who led protests against former president Omar Al-Bashir in 2019.

The fighting today started at a military base south of Khartoum and quickly spread across the capital, around the army headquarters, the airport and the Republican Palace, the seat of the country’s presidency. Heavy gunfire is heard throughout the day. Television footage earlier showed a fighter jet flying over the capital Khartoum, without Reuters independently confirming the reported footage.

Residents described chaotic scenes. “Fires and explosions are everywhere”, said Amal Mohamed, a doctor at a public hospital in Omdurman, according to the Associated Press. “Everyone is running and looking for shelter,” he added.

“We have never seen such fighting in Khartoum,” said Khartoum resident Abdel-Hamid Mustafa.

“The shooting is going on and people are staying indoors – there is so much panic and fear,” an eyewitness told the BBC.

RSF forces claim to control the presidential palace and airport of the capital, in which flights have been suspended, as well as two other airports in the city of Merowe in the north of the country, but also the airport in the city of El Obeid located in the southern part of Sudan. At the same time, they claim to control strategic locations in Khartoum and the northern city of Merowe about 350 kilometers (215 miles) northwest of the capital. The military dismissed the claims as “lies” and for its part the armed forces say they destroyed two RSF bases.

At the same time, a Saudia aircraft at the Khartoum airport in Sudan came under fire, as announced by the state carrier of Saudi Arabia. Passengers, crew and staff have been flown to the Saudi embassy in Khartoum in order to escape. Major airlines have suspended flights to Sudan.

At the same time, the Rapid Support Force (RSF) shared a video on Twitter showing Egyptian soldiers who have “surrendered” in the northern Sudanese town of Merowe. There was no clear explanation for the presence of Egyptian troops in the city of Merowe today, but Egyptian and Sudanese forces periodically hold joint military exercises in the north of the country amid diplomatic tensions with Ethiopia.

However, Sudan’s armed forces rejected any possibility of negotiation or dialogue with the country’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). “There will be no negotiations or dialogue until the dissolution of the paramilitary RSF,” the armed forces wrote on their Facebook page.

Global concern and call for calm

Conflicts in the region have caused global concern. Chad’s government has closed its borders with Sudan and called for calm. “Chad appeals to the regional and international community as well as all friendly countries to prioritize the return to peace,” it said in a statement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, due to the evolving security situation in Sudan, recommends that Greek citizens avoid non-essential travel to this country.

“At the same time, Greek citizens who are already there are advised to be regularly updated on developments, to avoid unnecessary travel and to observe the maximum possible security measures,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says in a statement.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Josep Borrell, African Union Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat, Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit and Qatar have appealed for a ceasefire, asking both sides to return to negotiations and resolve their differences through dialogue. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates called on those fighting in Sudan to exercise restraint and work towards a political solution.

Former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was ousted in a 2021 coup, warned of a possible regional conflict if fighting escalated. “The shooting must stop immediately,” he said in a video, appealing in turn to both sides to stop the clashes.