Sudanese violence persists despite the declaration of a ceasefire
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Sudan’s warring factions agreed on Wednesday to a new 24-hour ceasefire, but fighting continued despite the pledge.
The RSF said in a statement that the 24-hour ceasefire will start at 6 pm local time (1600 GMT).
“We affirm our full commitment to a complete ceasefire,” she said.
The Sudanese army also agreed to the temporary ceasefire proposed by the Rapid Support Forces.
“The Sudanese Armed Forces agreed to a 24-hour ceasefire, starting at 6:00 pm local time (1600 GMT) on the condition that the other party adhere to the terms of the ceasefire,” a military spokesman said in a statement.
Violent clashes erupted near the presidential palace in Khartoum, on Wednesday, between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
An eyewitness told Anadolu Agency that “the fighting is the fiercest since the outbreak of violence.”
The army confirmed that the RSF fighters attacked a number of locations in the capital, including the presidential palace.
A military statement said that the Rapid Support Forces suffered losses after repelling their attack on the Presidential Guard.
The army said members of the Rapid Support Forces also looted the headquarters of the central bank in Khartoum and set it on fire.
The two warring rivals agreed on Tuesday to a 24-hour ceasefire, but accused the other of violating the temporary truce.
At least 270 people have been killed and 2,600 others injured in armed clashes between the army and RSF fighters since Saturday in Khartoum and surrounding areas, according to the Ministry of Health.
While the RSF accused the army of attacking its forces south of Khartoum with light and heavy weapons, the army said the paramilitary forces were “spreading lies” and declared them to be a “rebel” group.
The dispute between the two military rivals over military and security reform, which envisages full participation of the Rapid Support Forces in the army, has turned into a heated conflict in the past few months.
The dispute between the two sides came to the fore last week, when the military said the RSF’s recent moves took place without coordination and were illegal.
Sudan has been without a functioning government since October 2021, when the military dismissed the transitional government of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and declared a state of emergency, in a move that political forces denounced as a “coup”.
Sudan’s transitional period, which began in August 2019, was due to end with elections in early 2024.