Arab League Calls for Ending War in Sudan

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
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Arab League Calls for Ending War in Sudan

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)
Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters file photo)

The Arab League called on Tuesday for the immediate cessation of all hostilities in Sudan and a complete ceasefire to save the Sudanese state, its institutions and facilities.

Egypt chaired an emergency meeting of the organization, which convened at the level of permanent delegates, to follow up on the developments in Sudan.

The League strongly condemned the targeting and killing of residents, regardless of their nationalities, and attacks on civilian and medical facilities.

It warned of the consequences and repercussions of these actions, which may intensify the conflict and which violate international humanitarian law.

The organization offered its deepest condolences to the families of Sudanese victims and the Assistant Administrative Attaché at the Egyptian Embassy in Khartoum, Mohamed al-Gharawi.

It called for protecting diplomatic missions and their staff from the fighting in line with the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Furthermore, the organization expressed its gratitude to Sudanese authorities for coordinating, securing, and facilitating the safe evacuation of members of diplomatic missions and Arab and foreign nationals.

The Arab League praised the efforts of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE, Algeria, and Morocco in evacuating their citizens and other Arab nationals, diplomats, and international missions.

It called for military forces or gunmen to leave hospitals and civilian facilities and for facilitating relief aid and humanitarian assistance to all Sudanese civilians and residents.

Arab League member states expressed their readiness to provide all forms of emergency humanitarian support, medical and food aid in coordination with Sudanese authorities and international and regional organizations.

The organization also praised the efforts of the member states and their initiatives towards reaching a ceasefire, and the humanitarian appeal by Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit on April 19 for a truce.

He had appealed to warring sides to end the conflict and allow people to access food supplies and medical assistance.

The member states welcomed Aboul Gheit's call to hold an emergency session for the Council of Arab Ministers of Social Affairs and another for the Council of Arab Ministers of Health to form a comprehensive Arab response to the crisis and its humanitarian and health repercussions.

According to the Middle East News Agency (MENA), the Arab League called on the international community to provide all urgent humanitarian needs and provide support to Sudan's neighboring countries that are receiving Sudanese fleeing the fighting.

The League stressed the need to resolve the crisis in a way that guarantees Sudan's security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, protects its institutions and fulfills the aspirations of its people for peace and development.

It stressed its rejection of foreign interference in Sudan's domestic affairs to avoid fueling the conflict, prolonging the crisis, and threatening regional peace and security.



US Targets Lebanon’s Hezbollah with New Sanctions

FILE - Hezbollah fighters shout slogans during the funeral procession of their top commander Fouad Shukur, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike on July 30, in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
FILE - Hezbollah fighters shout slogans during the funeral procession of their top commander Fouad Shukur, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike on July 30, in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
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US Targets Lebanon’s Hezbollah with New Sanctions

FILE - Hezbollah fighters shout slogans during the funeral procession of their top commander Fouad Shukur, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike on July 30, in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
FILE - Hezbollah fighters shout slogans during the funeral procession of their top commander Fouad Shukur, who was killed by an Israeli airstrike on July 30, in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)

The United States targeted two senior Hezbollah officials and two financial facilitators with new sanctions on Thursday for their role in coordinating financial transfers to the Lebanese group that is backed by Iran, the Treasury Department said.

The latest sanctions come as President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States was getting very close to securing a nuclear deal with Iran, and Tehran had "sort of" agreed to the terms.

Trump said Wednesday that he believed the moment was ripe for Lebanon to have a “future free from the grip of Hezbollah terrorists.”

The people targeted were based in Lebanon and Iran and worked to get money to Hezbollah from overseas donors, the department said in a statement.

Treasury said overseas donations make up a significant portion of the group's budget.

Thursday's action highlights Hezbollah's "extensive global reach through its network of terrorist donors and supporters, particularly in Tehran," said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Michael Faulkender.

"As part of our ongoing efforts to address Iran’s support for terrorism, Treasury will continue to intensify economic pressure on the key individuals in the Iranian regime and its proxies who enable these deadly activities."