Residents in Khartoum reported intensified violence a day after a Saudi-US-brokered ceasefire collapsed.
The truce came to an end on Saturday night. It, like previous truces, reduced bloodshed and allowed for limited humanitarian access. The cease-fire discussions on Friday failed.
Sudan’s deadly power struggle began on April 15, prompting over 1.2 million people to flee the country and 400,000 to move to neighboring nations.
It also has a negative impact on regional stability.
The live video on Sunday showed thick smoke above the city. “In southern Khartoum, we live in fear of violent bombardment, the sound of anti-aircraft guns, and power outages,” said Sara Hassan, 34, over the phone. “We’re in real trouble.”
Conflict also erupted in central and southern Khartoum, as well as Bahri across the Blue Nile.
Darfur’s remote western region, already riven by unrest and humanitarian difficulties, has witnessed deadly fighting.
On Friday and Saturday, intense violence erupted in Kutum, one of North Darfur’s main towns and economic centres.
The RSF, which sprang from Darfur militias and has a stronghold in the region, has denied gaining control of the town.
According to witnesses, a military aircraft crashed near Omdurman, one of three cities in the larger capital region bordering the Nile.
The army, which has been bombing the city’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has not spoken.
THE FIRST RAIN
According to Sudanese antiquities authorities, RSF militants fled the national museum in central Khartoum. The RSF released a video from inside the museum, which houses ancient mummies and other important items, on Saturday, saying they had destroyed the collection.
Fighting in the capital has resulted in looting, the collapse of health care, power and water outages, and food shortages.
The first rains of the year have fallen, heralding the start of a rainy season that will run until October and bring floods and water-borne diseases.
Rains might stymie an already crippled relief effort. Aid workers have issued warnings about uncollected rubbish and dead bodies on the streets.
Despite the fact that ceasefire talks were halted last week, Saudi Arabia and the United States claimed to be meeting with army and RSF officials in Jeddah on a regular basis.
“Those discussions are focused on facilitating humanitarian assistance and reaching agreement on near-term steps that the parties must take before the Jeddah talks resume,” the two nations said
