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Sudanese rebels attack, ransack Zimbabwe ambassador's home
19 Jun 2023 at 15:24hrs | Views
Ambassador Hilda Mafudze was seconded to the diplomatic mission by former President Mugabe who was acting on recommendations by then coalition partner Morgan Tsvangirai in 2013
Sudanese rebels ransacked the office and home of Zimbabwe's ambassador to Sudan Hilda Mafudze and stole valuables belonging to the envoy.
In a statement, Sudan's foreign ministry condemned the attack and urged the international community to also speak against the ‘terrorist and criminal behaviour'.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns in the strongest terms the rapid support militia's storming of the embassy and the home of the Zimbabwean ambassador, and the theft of valuables, in flagrant violation of international norms and laws concerned with the sanctity and protection of the headquarters and property of diplomatic missions.
"The Ministry calls on the international community to condemn the terrorist and criminal behaviour of the militia," it said.
Sudanese authorities did not state however if the Zimbabwean diplomat was at home or she was away.
Efforts to seek comment from authorities within Zimbabwe's foreign affairs ministry drew blanks as their phones were not reachable.
Mafudze, a former opposition MDC official, was seconded to Sudan by then President Robert Mugabe after she was recommended to the position by then Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai during the now-defunct unity government between Zimbabwe's political rivals.
Sudan is currently on a 72-hour ceasefire aimed at calming more than two months of conflict between rival Sudanese military factions.
The Northeast African country is in the middle of a bitter war pitting army and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The belligerent forces have agreed to pause the armed conflict under a fragile ceasefire deal brokered by Saudi and US mediators.
However, previous attempts to broker a truce between the forces have been violated as the rivals have continued shelling each other.
The power struggle between the two sides has turned the capital into a war zone plagued by looting.
The conflict erupted from disputes over a plan for a transition to elections under a civilian government, four years after long-serving autocrat Omar al-Bashir was overthrown during a popular uprising.
In a statement, Sudan's foreign ministry condemned the attack and urged the international community to also speak against the ‘terrorist and criminal behaviour'.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemns in the strongest terms the rapid support militia's storming of the embassy and the home of the Zimbabwean ambassador, and the theft of valuables, in flagrant violation of international norms and laws concerned with the sanctity and protection of the headquarters and property of diplomatic missions.
"The Ministry calls on the international community to condemn the terrorist and criminal behaviour of the militia," it said.
Sudanese authorities did not state however if the Zimbabwean diplomat was at home or she was away.
Efforts to seek comment from authorities within Zimbabwe's foreign affairs ministry drew blanks as their phones were not reachable.
Sudan is currently on a 72-hour ceasefire aimed at calming more than two months of conflict between rival Sudanese military factions.
The Northeast African country is in the middle of a bitter war pitting army and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The belligerent forces have agreed to pause the armed conflict under a fragile ceasefire deal brokered by Saudi and US mediators.
However, previous attempts to broker a truce between the forces have been violated as the rivals have continued shelling each other.
The power struggle between the two sides has turned the capital into a war zone plagued by looting.
The conflict erupted from disputes over a plan for a transition to elections under a civilian government, four years after long-serving autocrat Omar al-Bashir was overthrown during a popular uprising.
Source - zimlive
