Sudan’s army and rival extend truce, despite ongoing clashes

Sunday, Sudan’s army and rival paramilitary extended a humanitarian cease-fire by 72 hours. The weak truce has not stopped the fighting despite international pressure to allow civilians and aid to pass.

Both sides claimed violations in remarks. The accord has calmed the combat, but civilians still leave. Aid agencies have struggled to obtain vital supplies into the nation.

Sudan’s army and paramilitary force clashed on April 15, threatening civil war.

The International Committee of the Red Cross organized the shipping of eight tons of emergency medical aid to Sudan on Sunday. The national violence had killed 400 civilians.

A national doctors’ group reported that medical supplies, health personnel, water, and electricity have left more than two-thirds of hospitals in active battle zones inoperable.

The ICRC stated the supplies, including anesthetics, bandages, sutures, and other surgical materials, can treat over 1,000 conflict-wounded people. It said the plane arrived safely in Port Sudan after departing Jordan earlier that day.
“The hope is to get this material to some of the most critically busy hospitals in the capital” of Khartoum and other hot locations, said ICRC Africa regional director Patrick Youssef.

Sunday’s Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate report showed 425 civilian deaths and 2,091 injuries in the preceding two weeks. On Saturday, the Sudanese Health Ministry reported 528 deaths, including fighters, and 4,500 wounded.

Khartoum has seen fiercest battles. Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, army chief, fights Rapid Support Forces leader Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo.

Both generals, with powerful foreign backers, were allies in an October 2021 military coup that halted Sudan’s rocky transition to democracy, but they have since turned on each other.

Sudanese civilians are being targeted. Tens of thousands have fled to Chad and Egypt, while others are trapped with dwindling supplies. Airlifts and convoys evacuated thousands of immigrants.

Residents hiding in their homes reported hearing artillery fire on Sunday. Despite international mediation, no cease-fire has been fully observed.

After another tenuous truce, Khartoum locals reported stores reopening and normalcy returning over the weekend. However, terrified residents reported explosions and fighters ransacking houses.

The ICRC’s Youssef said the agency has been in communication with both sides’ top command to guarantee medical aid reaches hospitals securely.

“With this news today, we are really hoping that this becomes part of a steady coordination mechanism to allow other flights,” he said.

Youssef said further medical aid would be flown into Khartoum after security clearances.

Sudan’s healthcare system is nearly collapsed. Aid agencies suspended operations and evacuated staff.

According to footage from Saudi-owned al-Arabiya TV, a U.S. warship arrived in Port Sudan on Sunday to evacuate more Americans.

Most of the 16,000 Americans in Sudan are dual citizens. Saturday’s Defense Department statement claimed naval assets were being moved to Sudan’s coast to facilitate evacuations.

Britain stated that a further evacuation flight will leave Port Sudan on Monday, expanding what it called the greatest Western evacuation from Sudan.

The government advised British citizens who want to evacuate Sudan to arrive at the British Evacuation Handling Centre at Port Sudan International Airport before 12:00 Sudan time. The evacuation from Wadi Saeedna near Khartoum involved 2,122 persons on 23 planes.