The Sudanese army launched an airstrike in the capital Khartoum on Monday, as it seeks to make gains against the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), hours before a week-long ceasefire aimed at allowing aid deliveries came into force.
The Sudanese army also carried out air strikes on the evening of the eve of the truce, targeting vehicles from mobile units of the RSF deployed in residential areas of the capital since the outbreak of the conflict between the parties on April 15.
The Sudanese Doctors Syndicate announced on Monday that the number of victims of the crisis in the country has risen to 863 civilian deaths and 3,531 injuries.
Sudan has been awaiting a one-week truce, which has been agreed between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the Saudi city of Jeddah, while clashes are still ongoing.
The crisis began in the middle of last month when fighting broke out between the army and the RSF, which refused a mechanism to integrate them into the official institution.
For her part, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Hala Griet announced that there will be a mechanism to monitor the implementation of the “Jeddah Agreement” between representatives of the SAF and RSF.
“Griet said on Monday that in Jeddah, representatives of the SAF and the RSF affirmed the agreement with humanitarian arrangements and a short-term ceasefire, lasting for a period of seven days, which can be extended.”
She added that the agreement includes facilitating the distribution of humanitarian aid and the restoration of basic services, in addition to withdrawing troops from government facilities and facilitating the passage of humanitarian aid.
Griet noted that there are reservations about the commitment of the two parties, based on past experiences, and that the current agreement is distinguished by the presence of a monitoring mechanism (US-Saudi-international).
She stressed that the ultimate goal is to reach a permanent cessation of hostilities, resume the democratic transition and form a civilian government, adding that “we will not stop supporting the Sudanese people, and we will continue to urge the parties to fully comply with their obligations under this agreement.
The UN-AU-IGAD Tripartite Mechanism (TPVM) said it stands ready to support the effective implementation of the seven-day ceasefire, as well as regional and international efforts to bring the fighting in Sudan to a speedy end.
The Tripartite Mechanism called on the entire international community and humanitarian actors to urgently consolidate their efforts to support the Sudanese people during these critical times.
