Dr. Barnaba Marial Benjamin, Minister of Presidential Affairs. |Photo: Office of the President.

The South Sudan government has called on the warring parties in Sudan to extend the three-day ceasefire to allow civilians trapped in their homes access basic humanitarian services.

Juba made the call during a national security meeting on Monday to discuss the crisis in Sudan.

The National Security Council meeting was chaired by President Salva Kiir and attended by his First Deputy Dr. Riek Machar, the four Vice Presidents, the Presidential Advisor on Security Affairs, Tut Gatluak, and other senior government officials.

They called on de facto leader General Abdal Fattah Al Burhan and the commander of the Rapid Support Forces General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo to maintain the US-brokered cessation of hostilities to allow civilians to access basic necessities.

Speaking after the meeting, the Minister of Presidential Affairs, Dr Barnaba Mariel Benjamin said the ceasefire is important in rescuing civilians caught in the fighting.

“The ceasefire is important because silencing the guns will allow civilians trapped in their homes access food and water and it will also allow the wounded to be taken to hospital,” Marial said.

“It will also give the medical personnel the window to access hospitals and care for those in need of medical attention.”

Sudan’s warring parties have agreed to a US-brokered 72-hour ceasefire after 10 days of urban battles that killed hundreds, wounded thousands and sparked a mass exodus of foreigners.

The ceasefire which came into effect on early on Tuesday is the third attempt to pause fighting to open humanitarian corridors since the violence erupted last week.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said an agreement had been reached between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces after 48 hours of “intense” negotiation.

The South Sudan National Security Council also called on the Sudanese parties to parties to open humanitarian corridors in Khartoum and other cities including towns affected by the conflict to allow the civilian access the much-needed services.

It also resolved that the Embassy in Khartoum remains open to discharge it duties during the crisis to maintain the relations between South Sudan and Sudan.