Saudi Arabia and the United States said on Friday the warring sides in Sudan’s conflict were better adhering to a new week-long ceasefire after days of sporadic fighting.
The truce, brokered by Riyadh and Washington, took effect on Monday, but fighting continued in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum and western Darfur. Particularly intense clashes took place on Wednesday, the two mediators said in a joint statement.
Conflict in Sudan erupted in mid-April after months of rising tensions between the military, led by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The conflict has killed at least 863 civilians, including at least 190 children, according to the latest figures from the Sudanese Doctors’ Union.
The latest week-long ceasefire is the seventh truce attempt after others were breached.
A new multi-party committee tasked with monitoring potential violations noted on Wednesday the “use of artillery and military aircraft and drones, credible reports of airstrikes, continued fighting” in Khartoum and Darfur.
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Amid the reported calm on Thursday, humanitarian missions managed to deliver “urgently needed medical supplies to various locations in Sudan,” the joint statement said. Efforts are also underway to restore telecommunications services in Khartoum and other areas of the country, he said.
On Friday, residents of Khartoum reported only sporadic gunfire. However, Sudan TV aired a statement later in the day by the Ministry of Defense calling on all retired soldiers and citizens capable of fighting to head to the nearest military command to arm themselves for self-protection.
Saudi Arabia and the United States said on Friday that the warring sides in the Sudan conflict were adhering to a week-long ceasefire. (Fox News)
Didn’t elaborate. Over the past six weeks, looting has spread to many districts of Khartoum, which are also without water and electricity.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has warned both parties of possible sanctions if the latest ceasefire is not respected.
The United Nations says more than a million Sudanese have been internally displaced, while around 300,000 have fled to neighboring countries. The conflict has brought the East African country to the brink of collapse, with urban areas of Khartoum and its adjacent city of Omdurman disintegrating into battlegrounds.
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UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Thursday that the World Food Program had reached more than half a million people in nine Sudan states with food and nutrition support since the resumption of distributions about three weeks ago.
Riyadh and Washington urged the Sudanese military and the RSF to continue to respect the ceasefire.
