At least 481 civilians have been killed in Khartoum since violence broke out in mid-April between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, says Sudan’s Doctors Syndicate.
It said more than 2,560 civilians had been wounded.
The syndicate said at least 100 people were killed in clashes last month between armed fighters Geneina, in Sudan’s Darfur region.
Hospitals are still out of service in Geneina and an accurate count of the wounded was hard to make, the doctors’ union said in a statement posted on its official Facebook page late on Sunday.
Fighting broke out in Darfur a few days after Sudan’s military, led by army chief Gen Abdel Fattah Al Burhan, and Rapid Support Forces, led by his former right-hand man Gen Mohamed Dagalo, took up arms against each other in Khartoum. It is seen as evidence that conflict in the capital could escalate to other parts of the East African country.
Fighting could be heard in south Khartoum on Monday morning as envoys from Sudan's warring parties met in Saudi Arabia for talks that international mediators hope will bring an end to a three-week conflict.
The US-Saudi initiative is the first serious attempt to end fighting that has derailed an internationally backed plan to usher in civilian rule following years of unrest, and created a humanitarian crisis.
“Pre-negotiation” talks began on Saturday and “will continue in the coming days in the expectation of reaching an effective short-term ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian assistance”, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.
Riyadh was pushing for "a timetable for expanded negotiations to reach a permanent cessation of hostilities", the ministry said.
The United Nations has warned of a widening humanitarian crisis after fighting has already displaced 335,000 people and created 117,000 refugees.
More than 60,000 Sudanese have fled north into Egypt, 30,000 west to Chad, and over 27,000 to South Sudan, according to the UN.
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
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Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
