KHARTOUM - On Wednesday, fighting in Sudan's capital intensified with reports of heavy clashes and air strikes, although there were reports that rival military factions were close to reaching a ceasefire agreement in talks held in Saudi Arabia.
According to residents, the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) engaged in ground battles in several neighbourhoods of Khartoum, while gunfire was heard in the north of Omdurman and the east of Bahri, two cities adjacent to Khartoum separated by the River Nile.
The talks between the army and the RSF have been taking place in Jeddah since last week and have reportedly made some progress towards a ceasefire agreement.
However, the fighting in Khartoum continued to escalate on Wednesday, with heavy air strikes and RPG fire reported in several neighbourhoods.
Residents in the Bahri neighbourhood of Shambat were forced to take cover on the ground while others fled to the Nile to seek protection. The army is attempting to drive out RSF forces that have seized control of residential areas and strategic sites since the conflict began on April 15.
Efforts to secure a truce in Sudan are underway as talks between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue in Saudi Arabia.
Negotiations aim to establish a ceasefire and enable access for aid workers and supplies as previous ceasefire agreements failed to stop the fighting.
However, a source familiar with the talks revealed that progress had been made, and a ceasefire agreement was expected soon. The conflict has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with over 700,000 people displaced within the country and 150,000 seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. U.S.
negotiators are cautiously optimistic about securing a commitment to a ceasefire and humanitarian principles.
The talks are ongoing, and appropriate targets for sanctions are being evaluated if the warring factions fail to reach a settlement.
According to the U.N. World Food Programme, the number of Sudanese people experiencing acute food insecurity is expected to rise by up to 2.5 million in the upcoming months due to the ongoing conflict, which would bring the total to 19 million.
The conflict between the army and RSF has caused significant damage across Khartoum neighborhoods since April 15. The RSF has occupied state buildings, set up checkpoints, and put snipers on rooftops.
In response, the army has been using air strikes and heavy artillery to try to dislodge them. The RSF claimed on Tuesday that the presidential palace in central Khartoum had been hit and destroyed, but the army denied the claim.
However, drone footage taken on Wednesday and verified by Reuters showed that the palace was still intact, although smoke could be seen rising from the southeast edge of the palace compound.
The ongoing fighting has resulted in more than 600 deaths and 5,000 injuries, with witnesses reporting bodies in the streets. The breakdown of law and order has led to widespread looting, and fuel and food supplies are running low. Most hospitals are out of service, leaving the actual death toll potentially much higher.
The conflict in Sudan has created a humanitarian crisis, with more than 700,000 people displaced inside the country and 150,000 fleeing to neighbouring states.
The U.N. World Food Programme has warned that up to 2.5 million more Sudanese are expected to suffer from acute food insecurity in the coming months. The conflict has also sparked unrest in Sudan's western Darfur region.
The negotiations for a ceasefire between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in talks sponsored by the United States and Saudi Arabia in the Saudi city of Jeddah on the Red Sea are expected to secure an effective truce and allow access for aid workers and supplies after repeated ceasefire announcements failed to stop the fighting.