[World Council of Churches] In an April 17 statement,  World Council of Churches general secretary the Rev. Jerry Pillay expressed deep sadness at the sudden escalation of conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces and called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to armed hostilities for the sake of the suffering Sudanese people.

He noted that many people, including staff of the Sudan Council of Churches, have been trapped in offices or workplaces due to the sudden onset of the fighting.

“Armed clashes have been taking place since April 15 in Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan, with the deaths of approximately 100 civilians currently reported,” Pillay said. “The armed violence and instability, which has also resulted in the deaths of three U.N. staff, has resulted in the suspension of World Food Programme and other humanitarian operations in Sudan.”

The full text of the statement is available here.