Egypt, Qatar to launch relief initiative for Sudan

CAIRO, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani agreed on Friday to launch a joint initiative to support and provide relief to people in Sudan.

During a phone conversation, both leaders stressed that the initiative aims to provide humanitarian and relief services to Sudanese people, especially refugees, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement.

The two leaders also stressed the importance of intensive work to contain the humanitarian situation in Sudan, facilitating the flow of relief aid, and sparing civilians the repercussions of the fighting, according to the statement.

Sudan has witnessed deadly armed clashes between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in capital Khartoum and other areas since April 15.

According to the Sudanese Doctors Union, the number of civilian deaths since the beginning of the clashes has risen to 863 with 3,531 injuries.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs recently said over 1 million people have been displaced since the conflict began, fleeing to safer locations inside and outside Sudan.