Minnesotans rally to bring awareness to conflict in Sudan
Around 80 people rallied at Gold Medal Park in Minneapolis on Saturday to raise awareness about the impact of Sudan's civil war.
The conflict in Sudan between rival generals from the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has killed more than 500 people in the past two weeks.
“There is nothing. There is no, there is no even security in our banks, so it [is] a disaster right now,” said Kamal Elbasher of Woodbury. “This is why we came here in this day to stop and ask everybody to help: the whole world to help us, to help Sudan.”
Elbasher, who has a brother in Khartoum, was among the many people concerned about those in harm’s way.
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“Everyone has a loved one, a parent, a son, a brother, a sister, who’s stuck there in Sudan, or who's facing a huge problem,” said Khalid Yousif, president of the Sudanese American Community Association, which helped organize the rally. “It's something that needs not just us, but the whole world to come together to solve this issue."
The U.S. and Saudi Arabia say that Sudan's warring sides have begun talks aimed at firming up a shaky cease-fire, providing some optimism about a potential end to the conflict.
In the meantime, those in the U.S. are asking people to donate to organizations aimed at providing relief efforts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.