Pope Francis calls for peace in Sudan, urging an end to violence and conflict.

On Sunday, Pope Francis called for a resumption of talks in Sudan, where fierce fighting between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces has resulted in hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries. He urged General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, the de-facto leader, and his rival General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo to engage in dialogue and put an end to the bloody conflict.

Speaking to crowds in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis said, “Yesterday was World Earth Day, and I hope that efforts to care for the environment will always be accompanied by effective solidarity with poorer nations. Unfortunately, the situation in Sudan remains dire. Therefore, I am renewing my appeal for violence to cease as soon as possible and for dialogue to resume. I invite all of you to pray for our Sudanese brothers and sisters.”

As the World Health Organization (WHO) reported over 420 deaths and 3,700 injuries, mainly in Khartoum and Darfur, several countries have begun repatriation operations for their citizens from Sudan.