Despite fears of a civil war, Sudan’s warring armed forces clashed for a third week on Sunday, with both sides accusing the other of fresh violations of a truce.
Hundreds of people have been murdered and dozens have been wounded since April 15, when a long-simmering power struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) exploded into battle.
According to the RSF, the parties decided to extend the formal ceasefire agreement, which was supposed to expire at midnight, for another 72 hours “in response to international, regional, and local calls.”
The army expressed hope that the “rebels” would fulfill the deal, but it remained skeptical that the “rebels” intended to continue attacks. Even after the US and other mediators established many ceasefires, the combatants continued to battle.
On Saturday evening, heavy fighting was heard in the city center, but a journalist said that the situation in Khartoum, where the army has been battling RSF rebels entrenched in residential districts, was rather calm on Sunday morning.
The army claimed on Sunday that it had destroyed RSF convoys headed west towards Khartoum. According to the RSF, the army used artillery and aircraft to strike a number of villages in Khartoum province.
On Saturday, the army said that it had begun deploying the Central Reserve Police in southern Khartoum, with intentions to gradually extend the deployment to the remainder of the city.
Sudanese authorities claimed they ordered troops to guard looted markets and structures. The RSF warned people not to engage in violence on Saturday.
The force is a large and well-equipped arm of Sudan’s police force that is involved in battles in Darfur’s western region and the Nuba Mountains’ south.
After protesters against a military coup in 2021 were allegedly met with excessive force by reserve police, the US sanctioned the force in March 2022.
