Burhan’s Deputy Warns of 'Imminent' Catastrophe for Sudan, Neighboring Countries

Malik Agar. (His Facebook page) 
Malik Agar. (His Facebook page) 
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Burhan’s Deputy Warns of 'Imminent' Catastrophe for Sudan, Neighboring Countries

Malik Agar. (His Facebook page) 
Malik Agar. (His Facebook page) 

The Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) stated on its Facebook page that the ongoing situation will inevitably result in "massive destruction" for Sudan and neighboring countries.

The Movement emphasized that Deputy Head of the Sovereign Council, Malik Agar, is diligently working towards consolidating foreign and domestic initiatives through a credible dialogue, supported by facilitators of international and regional negotiations to attain peace and avert the impending collapse of Sudan.

The SPLM-N underscored the imperative need to enhance cooperation between Sudan and its immediate neighboring countries, with the aim of putting an end to the conflict and establishing a state of lasting peace and stability.

In May, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the commander of the Sudanese army, appointed Agar as a replacement for Hemedti.

Burhan made a televised speech on Tuesday announcing a ceasefire on the first day of Eid, while the Rapid Support Forces announced a truce.

"The conspiracy requires everyone to be awake and ready to respond to the existential threats to our country, and so we call on all the young men and who can defend to not hesitate to play this role, either from where he lives or by joining the armed forces," Burhan said during the speech.

Multiple ceasefires announced by both sides have been systematically violated, as well as others mediated by the United States and Saudi Arabia.

The UN refugee agency warned that conflict in Sudan would prompt 1 million people to flee across its borders in the next six months.

Witnesses told Reuters this month an increasing number of Sudanese civilians fleeing El Geneina, a city in Darfur hit by repeated attacks, have been killed or shot at as they tried to escape by foot to Chad.

Burhan who is also the head of the Sudan's ruling sovereign council blamed the RSF for the “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity” in the city.



Airlines Including Lufthansa Cautiously Plan to Resume Some Middle East Flights

An Airbus A320-214 passenger aircraft of Lufthansa airline, takes off from Malaga-Costa del Sol airport, in Malaga, Spain, May 3, 2024. REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo
An Airbus A320-214 passenger aircraft of Lufthansa airline, takes off from Malaga-Costa del Sol airport, in Malaga, Spain, May 3, 2024. REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo
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Airlines Including Lufthansa Cautiously Plan to Resume Some Middle East Flights

An Airbus A320-214 passenger aircraft of Lufthansa airline, takes off from Malaga-Costa del Sol airport, in Malaga, Spain, May 3, 2024. REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo
An Airbus A320-214 passenger aircraft of Lufthansa airline, takes off from Malaga-Costa del Sol airport, in Malaga, Spain, May 3, 2024. REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo

Germany's Lufthansa Group is set to resume flights to and from Tel Aviv in Israel from Feb. 1 and Wizz Air restarted its London to Tel Aviv route on Thursday, the companies said following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Many Western carriers cancelled flights to swaths of the Middle East in recent months, including Beirut and Tel Aviv, as conflict tore across the region. Airlines also avoided Iraqi and Iranian airspace out of fear of getting accidentally caught in drone or missile warfare.

Wizz Air also resumed flights to Amman, Jordan starting on Thursday from London Luton airport.

Lufthansa Group carriers Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Austrian Airlines and Swiss were included in Lufthansa's decision to resume flights to Tel Aviv.

Ryanair said it was hoping to run a full summer schedule to and from Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv in an interview with Reuters last week, before the ceasefire deal was announced.

In the wake of the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, Turkish Airlines said it would start flights to Damascus, the Syrian capital, on Jan. 23, with three flights per week.

CAUTIOUS RETURN

But airlines remain cautious and watchful before re-entering the region in full, they said.

British carrier EasyJet told Reuters it welcomed the news of the Gaza ceasefire and would review its plans in the coming days.

Air France-KLM said its operations to and from Tel Aviv remain suspended until Jan. 24, while its flights between Paris and Beirut will be suspended until Jan. 31.

"The operations will resume on the basis of an assessment of the situation on the ground," it said in a statement.

The suspension of Lufthansa flights to and from Tehran up to and including Feb. 14 remains in place and the airline will not fly to Beirut in Lebanon up to and including Feb. 28, it said.