Residents of Khartoum have reported intense fighting with armed groups roaming the streets, indicating that Sudan’s warring factions are not adhering to an agreement to protect civilians ahead of ceasefire talks scheduled to resume in Saudi Arabia on Sunday. The conflict has spread to Khartoum and surrounding areas, as well as Geneina in the Darfur region, since the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary force agreed to a “declaration of principles” on Thursday. “This morning was much worse than the past two days. You could clearly hear the tanks, and the RSF were patrolling the streets more than usual,” said Hani Ahmed, 28, to Reuters.
The conflict, which began a month ago, has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of people, the displacement of over 700,000 people within the country, and the migration of more than 200,000 people to neighbouring countries. The situation risks drawing in external powers and destabilising the region. The two sides have fought through previous truces and have shown no indication of being willing to compromise. Although the RSF has pledged to uphold Thursday’s agreement, the army has yet to comment on it.
Neither side appears to be capable of achieving a swift victory, with the army able to call on air power but the RSF entrenched in residential areas throughout the capital.
2023-05-13 16:00:03 Sudan talks to resume in Saudi Arabia as battles rage in Khartoum
Article from www.aljazeera.com
