Sudan rocked by airstrikes, heavy machine gun fire despite truce on 13th day of deadly conflict
- Fighting has continued despite the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on Tuesday, with warplanes patrolling the skies and fighters on the ground
- At least 512 people have been killed and 4,193 wounded, according to health ministry figures, although the real death toll is likely to be much higher
The Sudanese army pounded paramilitaries in the capital Khartoum with air strikes on Thursday while deadly fighting flared in Darfur as the conflict entered a 13th day despite a US-brokered ceasefire.
Late on Wednesday, the army said it had agreed to talks in Juba, capital of neighbouring South Sudan, on extending the three-day truce which expires on Friday “at the initiative of IGAD”, the East African regional bloc.
There have been multiple truce efforts since fighting broke out on April 15 between Sudan’s regular army led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commanded by his deputy turned rival, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. All have failed.
The fighting has continued despite the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on Tuesday, with warplanes patrolling the skies over the capital’s northern suburbs as fighters on the ground have exchanged artillery and heavy machine gun fire, witnesses said.
Burhan agreed on Wednesday to the IGAD proposal for talks on extending the truce by a further 72 hours, the army added. The RSF’s response to the proposal remains unclear.
At least 512 people have been killed and 4,193 wounded in the fighting, according to health ministry figures, although the real death toll is likely to be much higher.