Sudan Conflict: Army Calls On Ex Soldiers To Re-enlist

The Sudanese on Friday called on ex soldiers to re-enlist into its fold.

The call is coming as the week-long truce engineered by both Saudia Arabia and the US continues amidst sporadic fighting continues in the country’s beleaguered capital, Khartoum, and a number of other major cities. 

The Army, which said the call is aimed at strengthening its rank against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, RSF, urged all former soldiers to present themselves at their nearest military base. 

Reuters reports that though Saudia Arabia and the US insist on Friday that compliance with the truce is improving, sporadic fighting continued all week.l, noting that the call by the army may indicate that it is preparing for a long drawn conflict. 

Army spokesperson insists however, that the enlistment is voluntary. 

Meanwhile, leader of the Army, Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, on Friday, transmitted a letter to the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, asking him to replace UN envoy to Khartoum, Volker Perthes.

The envoy is known to be pushing for a political solution to the crisis, leading up to civilian transition, a position said to be opposed by certain elements in the army.

However, UN spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, told Reuters that the letter came to the Secretary-General as a shock. 

"The Secretary-General is shocked by the letter. 

"The Secretary-General is proud of the work done by Volker Perthes and reaffirms his full confidence in his Special Representative." Dujarric said. 

Army sources said it intercepted caches of weapon smuggled into Sudan's Red Sea province by an unnamed foreign country.

The conflict between the Army and rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, RSF, began on April 15, 2023. Since then, over 600 people are reported to have been killed while over 4000 thousand are injured in Khartoum alone.