The ongoing power struggle between warring generals in Sudan continues as both sides agreed to a seven-day ceasefire brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia on Saturday after talks in Jeddah.
Heavy clashes again rocked Sudan’s capital on Sunday hours after rival generals agreed to an upcoming one-week ceasefire, the latest in a series of truces that have been systematically violated.
The ceasefire is set to take effect at 9:45 pm (1945 GMT) on Monday, the United States and Saudi Arabia said in a joint statement after talks in the Saudi city of Jeddah. It “will remain in effect for seven days and may be extended with the agreement of both parties,” the statement said.
Multiple announced truces have been violated since the fighting began five weeks ago, as acknowledged by the Saudi foreign ministry in a statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency early Sunday.
The statement noted that subsequent talks would focus on additional measures to improve security and humanitarian conditions, including the withdrawal of forces from urban centers, removal of obstacles to civilian and humanitarian movement, and the resumption of regular duties for public servants.
The power struggle between regular army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy turned rival Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who leads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), escalated into fighting on April 15.
The conflict has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, mostly civilians, and the displacement of over one million.
The United Nations has warned of a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in Sudan, the third-largest country in Africa, where one in three people already relied on aid prior to the outbreak of war.
The ceasefire announcement on Saturday comes two weeks after representatives of the warring generals first gathered in Jeddah for talks. By May 11, they had signed a commitment to uphold humanitarian principles and allow much-needed aid.
The integration of the RSF into the regular armed forces has been a major point of contention between Daglo and Burhan.
While the main fighting is concentrated in Khartoum, the violence has also spread to the war-torn western region of Darfur, where the RSF originates.
In the South Darfur capital of Nyala, clashes since Thursday have claimed the lives of 22 people, prompting civilians to flee to safer areas as shells strike their homes, according to the Darfur bar association.
On Saturday, Qatar’s embassy was the latest diplomatic mission to be attacked, drawing condemnation from Doha. The embassies of Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have also come under assault in recent weeks.
On Friday, the UN aid chief, Mark Lowcock, announced the allocation of $22 million in emergency funds to assist Sudanese people fleeing the violence.
The United States has pledged $103 million to support displaced individuals in Sudan and neighboring countries.
Miroslava Salazar with AFP
