Fighting resumes in Sudan’s capital as three-day cease-fire expires

Residents board a truck to take advantage of the ceasefire and flee brutal fighting in Khartoum, Sudan on June 19, 2023. (AP)

• Fighting reported in all three of the cities that make up the wider capital around the confluence of the Nile: Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman

DUBAI: Clashes broke out in several parts of Sudan’s capital on Wednesday as a 72-hour cease-fire — which saw several reports of violations — between rival military factions expired, witnesses said.
Shortly before the truce ended at 6 a.m. fighting was reported in all three of the cities that make up the wider capital around the confluence of the Nile: Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman.
Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been battling each other for more than two months, wreaking destruction on the capital, triggering widespread violence in the western region of Darfur, and causing more than 2.5 million people to flee their homes.
Witnesses said army aircraft could be heard early on Wednesday over Omdurman, as could anti-aircraft fire from the RSF, artillery fire from a base in north Omdurman, and ground fighting in southern Khartoum.
The cease-fire was the latest of several truce deals brokered by Saudi Arabia and the United States at talks in Jeddah.
As with previous cease-fires, there were reports of violations by both sides.
Late on Monday, both factions blamed the other for a large fire at the intelligence headquarters, which is housed in a defense compound in central Khartoum that has been fought over since the fighting erupted on April 15.
Saudi Arabia and the US said that if the warring factions failed to observe the ceasefire they would consider adjourning the Jeddah talks, which critics have questioned as ineffective.
The conflict in Sudan erupted amid disputes over internationally backed plans for a transition away from military rule following a coup in 2021 and four years after long-ruling autocrat Omar Al-Bashir was ousted during a popular uprising.