Saudi Arabia, US Call for Sudan Ceasefire Extension, Warn Escalation of Tensions

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia and the United States urged to prolong a ceasefire agreement that has provided some relief from a six-week-long conflict between military groups. However, they noted that both sides have hindered aid efforts and are preparing for more escalation.

According to residents, conflicts were heard in the capital city of Khartoum at night and on Sunday. At the same time, human rights observers reported fatal battles in El Fashir, which is a major city in the western part of Darfur, according to Reuters.

Sudan Military Groups Conflict

The fighting that started on April 15th between Sudan's military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has caused chaos and disruption in the capital city.

The violence has displaced around 1.4 million people and put the region at risk of instability. Law and order have been severely impacted, and essential services have collapsed.

A ceasefire between the two countries will last for a week and is scheduled to end on Monday evening. Saudi Arabia and the United States oversee the ceasefire and have urged the army and the RSF to extend the ceasefire to provide humanitarian aid. However, the truce has yet to be fully adhered to.

Ceasefire Extension

The announcement mentioned ceasefire violations, such as airstrikes, taking control of medical resources by the military, and RSF's seizure of civilian structures and theft.

The RSF has expressed willingness to talk about renewing the agreement and will keep an eye on the ceasefire to assess the other party's dedication toward the renewal. Meanwhile, the army is in talks regarding the extension of the agreement.

Since the conflict began, around 350,000 individuals have fled Sudan, most going to Egypt from Khartoum or Chad from Darfur. In Khartoum, many buildings, such as factories, offices, homes, and banks, have been looted or destroyed.

Necessities such as power, water, and telecommunications are frequently unavailable, there is a shortage of medical supplies and equipment, and food supplies are running low.

The truce deal has brought some respite from heavy fighting, but sporadic clashes and air strikes have continued.

The United Nations and aid groups say that despite the truce, they have struggled to get bureaucratic approvals and security guarantees to transport aid and staff to Khartoum and other places of need. Warehouses have been looted.

The UN humanitarian office has stated that there has been a rise in gender-based violence, particularly among those who have been displaced in Sudan. In areas of Darfur, which have already suffered from conflict and displacement, violence has erupted, leading to numerous deaths in El Geneina near the Chad border. The area's residents have accused "Janjaweed" militias, who come from Arab nomadic tribes with ties to the RSF, of carrying out these attacks.