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Sudan’s rival commanders agreed a 24-hour ceasefire from Tuesday evening, after pressure from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken over deadly fighting that has engulfed the capital Khartoum and saw shots fired at a U.S. diplomatic convoy.
The conflict between Sudan’s armed ruling factions broke out four days ago and has killed at least 185 people across the country, triggering what the United Nations has described as a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, including the near collapse of the health system.
The ceasefire will start at 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) and will not extend beyond the agreed 24 hours, Army General Shams El Din Kabbashi, a member of Sudan’s ruling military council, said on al Arabiya TV.
Early on Tuesday, gunfire echoed across Khartoum accompanied by the sound of warplanes and explosions. Residents in the neighbouring cities of Omdurman and Bahri reported air strikes that shook buildings and anti-aircraft fire. Fighting also raged in the west of the country, the United Nations said.
The United Nations reported that at least 65 people have been killed in Darfur since Saturday, including in clashes involving heavy artillery.
Eight people had been killed in Nyala, one of Sudan’s largest cities, located in South Darfur, the U.N. said. The city also saw extensive looting of NGOs, businesses and hospitals, it said in a statement, adding that shooting was ongoing.
SOURCE:REUTERS
