Fragile ceasefire is glimmer of hope for Canadians with loved ones stuck in Sudan

Sudanese families in Canada are hoping the latest ceasefire is observed for the sake of their loved ones back home.

A fragile truce may be enough to help Amal Mahadi’s relatives gather supplies or flee the embattled East African country.

“We are all still under shock. We don’t know how to process all of this,” Mahadi told CityNews.

Fighting between the military and a rival paramilitary group erupted earlier this month in Sudan, with hundreds killed and thousands more injured.

Onlookers are hoping the latest three-day ceasefire, announced Monday night, would help evacuation efforts.

It’s a glimmer of hope for Mahadi, who moved to Canada from Sudan in 2007. She says she never thought anything like this would happen in her home country.

“Sometimes I wake up, like, is this happening, is this not happening,” she said. “The situation has been very terrible and very dire in Sudan.”

A number of short ceasefires over the past week have failed or brought only small breaks in the battles raging since April 15 between rival forces led by the country’s two top generals.

Mahadi’s parents, two sisters and brother all made it out to neighbouring Egypt, but many of her aunts, uncles, cousins, and close friends are still stuck in Sudan.

“It’s not easy, it’s not easy,” she said. “I do struggle. I do force myself to get up and go to work. It’s not easy.”

WATCH: Canadian citizens left behind as diplomats evacuated from Sudan (Apr. 23)

A Canadian effort is underway to conduct airlifts out of Sudan. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government is coordinating with its allies to get Canadian citizens out.

Mahadi is hoping to bring her family to Canada as soon as possible.

“This is affecting everyday life for me and my kids and it’s difficult,” she said. “I hope to see them living in a safe place like Canada.”

Amal Mahadi, who has family in Sudan. (CityNews)

‘The fighting is everywhere’

Winnipegger Mekki Mohamed’s dad, sister, brother and various aunts and uncles are also stuck in Sudan. He says the situation is terrible.

“The fighting is everywhere. The heavier fighting is in the capital, Khartoum,” said Mohamed, a member of the Community of the Sudanese Canadian in Manitoba.

Explosions, gunfire and the roar of warplanes were heard around the capital region on Tuesday.

Residents reported escalating clashes in West Darfur province, where the rival Rapid Support Forces has its roots, born from the Janjaweed militias accused of widespread atrocities in putting down a rebellion in the early 2000s.

Mohamed says he doesn’t believe the ceasefire will last, putting everyone in Sudan, once again, in grave danger.

“I believe that every Sudanese person with a background from Sudan is worried,” he said. “Worrying of the safety, worrying of the health, worrying of the shortage of food and other supplies. They need necessities.”

Mekki Mohamed, a member of the Community of the Sudanese Canadian in Manitoba. (CityNews)

Little relief to Sudanese citizens

While the ceasefires have led to evacuations of hundreds of foreigners, they have brought little relief to millions of Sudanese people who are struggling to find food, shelter and medical care in a country where a third of the population of 46 million already needed humanitarian aid.

Civilians are among the at least 459 people killed and 4,070 wounded since fighting began, the UN World Health Organization said, citing Sudan’s health ministry.

Tamer Abdalla, a representative of the Sudanese Canadian Community Niagara Region, says citizens in Sudan are in dire need of basic supplies.

“There’s a huge shortage of water, medical supplies, the hospitals are shut down with reports of only 23 hospital functions, and when we say functioning, they are in a very dire situation,” said Abdalla.

Abdalla adds it’s imperative for the Canadian government, and governments around the world to end this conflict as soon as possible.

“This has been going on for too long, one too many days, one too many lives are lost and beyond that it’s really humanitarian aid.”

—With files from The Associated Press