However, the deal signed on Saturday between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after talks in the Saudi city of Jeddah will include an internationally backed monitoring mechanism. The deal will come into effect on Monday evening and is expected to allow humanitarian aid to reach people in the conflict zone.
Officials watch as representatives of the Sudanese army and Rapid Support Forces sign a seven-day ceasefire agreement in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on May 20, 2023. Photo: Reuters
Repeated ceasefire announcements since the conflict began on April 15 have failed to stop the fighting, but the Jeddah deal marks the first time the sides have signed a ceasefire following negotiations.
Analysts say it is unclear whether Sudanese army commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan or RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, will actually enforce the ceasefire. Both commanders have previously said they want to win the war and did not travel to Jeddah for the signing ceremony.
The Sudanese army and RSF reaffirmed their commitment to a ceasefire in statements on Sunday, even as fighting continued. Witnesses reported sporadic clashes in central and southern Khartoum on Sunday morning, followed by airstrikes and anti-aircraft fire later in the day in eastern Khartoum and Omdurman.
Since the fighting began, 1.1 million people have fled their homes, moving within Sudan or into neighboring countries, creating a humanitarian crisis that threatens to destabilize the region.
Those still in Khartoum are struggling to survive amid mass looting, the collapse of health services and dwindling supplies of food, fuel, electricity and water.
Safaa Ibrahim, a 35-year-old resident of Khartoum, said she hoped the deal could end the conflict. “We are tired of this war. We have been driven from our homes, and our families are scattered between towns in Sudan and Egypt,” she said.
Since the conflict began, unrest has flared in other parts of Sudan, particularly the western Darfur region. Some 705 people have been killed and at least 5,287 injured, according to the World Health Organization, although the actual death toll is believed to be much higher.
Mai Anh (according to Reuters)
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