Govt of Sudan firmly committed to safety of Malaysians, says Embassy

KUALA LUMPUR: The government of Sudan is committed to the safety of Malaysians in the country, says its Embassy here.

It added that it will honour its obligation under international laws and the Vienna Convention to protect all premises and staff of diplomatic missions in Sudan.

The embassy said this in a statement made available to Bernama on Thursday (April 20).

"The Embassy also thanked the people and the Government of Malaysia for their empathy and solidarity with the people of Sudan. And as graciously demonstrated in His Majesty Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah's call for all Malaysians to pray for the safety of the Sudanese people and for the safe return of our Malaysian brothers and sisters working in Sudan to their homes and families in Malaysia,” it said,

The conflict in Sudan, which involves the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has sparked political turmoil and threatened security in the country, where - according to the World Health Organisation - nearly 300 people have been killed as of Wednesday.

Following that, the Ruler advised the government to be prepared to bring home Malaysians in Sudan if the conflict in the country worsens.

His Majesty also called on all Malaysians to pray for the safety and well-being of their fellow countrymen in Sudan following the current crisis in the country.

According to the statement, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) - prompted by its constitutional duty to maintain the territorial integrity, security, and stability in the country - has successfully repelled the first RSF attack that aimed to take control of the military command headquarters, airports and military garrison in capital Khartoum and regional cities.

"The fighting is now entering its fifth day and our national army is in control and increasingly rounding the mutinied RSF, which is now decreed by the Sudanese Government as mutinied force and outlawed militia,” said the statement.

The statement said that the defeated RSF is adopting the desperate and unethical tactics of moving and concentrating its forces in the centre of Khartoum and the city's residential areas to use innocent civilians as human shields, in a bid to limit the national army air power.

"However, the Sudanese Armed Forces, while confident and sure of its capability of defeating the RSF in a short period of time, will remain committed to its professional and moral codes of conduct and combat strategies that focus on reducing casualties and loss of lives among civilians,” it added. - Bernama