KHARTOUM – A 72-hour ceasefire between Sudan’s warring generals took effect on Sunday to allow for the delivery of desperately needed aid to the country, on the eve of a humanitarian conference.
The army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has since April 15 been battling paramilitary forces commanded by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, after the two fell out in a bitter power struggle.
Multiple truces have been agreed and broken in the war that has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 and driven over two million from their homes, including at least 528,000 who fled abroad.
The latest ceasefire came into force at 6am local time (noon, Singapore time), with the mediators saying the two sides had agreed to refrain from attacks and allow freedom of movement and the delivery of aid.
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and United States of America announce the agreement of representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on a ceasefire throughout Sudan for a period of 72 hours,” the Saudi foreign ministry said.
Witnesses in Khartoum said the situation was “calm”.
“We want a full ceasefire,” Sami Omar, who lives in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman, told AFP.
“A truce is not sufficient for us to return to our lives. They may stop fighting, but the RSF will not leave the homes (they occupy).”
The United Nations will on Monday host an international donors’ conference for Sudan in Geneva.
Clashes had intensified before both sides pledged to respect the truce in separate statements on Saturday evening.
The RSF said it would abide by the truce, while the army said “despite our commitment to the ceasefire, we will respond decisively to any violations the rebels commit”.
Saudi Arabia had threatened on Saturday to “postpone” negotiations on its soil, “should the parties fail to respect the 72-hour ceasefire”.
The warring generals have also sent envoys to regional capitals.
In Cairo, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday hosted former rebel leader Malik Agar, who replaced Daglo as Burhan’s deputy.
Warplanes had on Saturday struck residential districts of Khartoum, killing “17 civilians, including five children”, according to a citizens’ support committee. AFP was unable to independently confirm the figures.
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