WHO warns of 'extremely dangerous' bio-lab occupation in Sudan
'There is a huge biological risk associated with the occupation of the central public health lab'
Nima
Saeed Abid, the World Health Organization's (WHO) representative in
Sudan, on Tuesday warned of "biological risks" after a laboratory in the
east African country was taken over by armed forces.
In
a statement, Abid said that soldiers "kicked out all the technicians
from the lab... which is completely under the control of one of the
fighting parties as a military base.”
"There
is a huge biological risk associated with the occupation of the central
public health lab," Abid added, saying that the lab holds samples of
deadly diseases, including measles, polio, and cholera, and that the
situation has gotten “extremely dangerous.”
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced a three-day ceasefire
agreement between the fighting factions in Sudan. According to the
Sudanese army, the lull in fighting was brokered by the United States
and Saudi Arabia.
The Sudanese military and the
paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, the two fighting sides led by
formerly allied generals, agreed to the agreement after several failed
attempts to secure a temporary truce. “We must all do everything within
our power to pull Sudan back from the edge of the abyss,” UN
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.
Tens
of thousands of refugees flooded into bordering countries since the
fighting began on April 15. Hundreds have been killed, with thousands
more wounded. Several countries have been forced to evacuate their nationals, including their diplomatic personnel, because of the deadly clashes that broke out more than a week ago in Sudan.
