White House calls for immediate Sudan ceasefire

Smoke rises from the tarmac of Khartoum International Airport as a fire burns, in Khartoum, Sudan April 17, 2023 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. Abdullah Abdel Moneim/via REUTERS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Monday called for an immediate ceasefire to fighting in Sudan between the army and a paramilitary force and said U.S. officials are in touch with the military leaders there.

"We deplore the escalating violence out of Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan. We call for an immediate ceasefire without conditions between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), said a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council.