A ceasefire in Sudan has taken effect, with hopes that it will allow civilians to leave the conflict-ridden capital Khartoum. This is at least the third suspension of fighting since violence erupted on 15 April, but it is the first to hold. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the 72-hour pause in fighting had been agreed between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) after 48 hours of negotiations. At least 400 people have been killed since the violence began.
Both sides in the conflict independently announced their involvement in the ceasefire. UN Secretary General António Guterres has warned that the violence in Sudan risks causing a “catastrophic conflagration” that could engulf the whole region and beyond. The bombing has hit key infrastructure, like water pipes, meaning that some people have been forced to drink from the River Nile.
Countries have scrambled to evacuate their diplomats and civilians as fighting raged in central, densely populated parts of the capital. The UK government has announced it will begin evacuating British passport holders and immediate family members from Tuesday.
On Monday, Mr Blinken said that some convoys trying to move people out had encountered “robbery and looting”. The US, he added, was looking at potentially resuming its diplomatic presence in Sudan but he described the conditions there as “very challenging”.
Sudan is suffering an “internet blackout” with connectivity at 2% of ordinary levels, monitoring group NetBlocks said on Monday. It is estimated that tens of thousands of people, including Sudanese citizens and those from neighbouring countries, have fled because of the unrest.
Since a 2021 coup, Sudan has been run by a council of generals, led by Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the head of the armed forces and in effect the country’s president, and his deputy and leader of the RSF, Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti. They have disagreed on the direction the country is going in and the proposed move towards civilian rule.
The main sticking points are plans to include the 100,000-strong RSF into the army, and who would then lead the new force. Gen Dagalo has accused Gen Burhan’s government of being “radical Islamists” and that he and the RSF were “fighting for the people of Sudan to ensure the democratic progress for which they have so long yearned”.
Violence broke out primarily in Khartoum, between rival military factions battling for control of Africa’s third-largest country. The recent redeployment of RSF fighters around the country was seen by the army as a threat, leading to days of tension.
Hassan Ibrahim, 91, was among those who fled the conflict. The retired physician lives near the main airport in Khartoum, where some of the worst fighting has taken place, but has since made the perilous journey into neighbouring Egypt with his family.
He said that they had escaped being caught up in a firefight between RSF fighters and the army but that a van travelling behind them had been hit. The family then boarded a bus to the border, which took 12 hours, only for them to be met by “crowded and chaotic” scenes as people waited to be given entry.
The conflict in Sudan has been a cause of concern for the international community, with many countries urging both sides to engage in meaningful dialogue to find a lasting solution. The latest ceasefire is seen as a positive step towards de-escalating tensions in the region and bringing an end to the violence that has claimed hundreds of lives.
However, it remains to be seen whether the ceasefire will hold, as previous attempts have failed to bring an end to the conflict. The UN has warned that the violence in Sudan could spill over into neighbouring countries, creating a wider regional crisis.
The situation in Sudan has also had a devastating impact on the country’s population, with many residents facing a shortage of basic necessities such as food, water and medical supplies. The internet blackout has made it difficult for people to access information and communicate with their loved ones, adding to the sense of uncertainty and fear.
As the international community continues to monitor the situation in Sudan, there will be hopes that the ceasefire will pave the way for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and bring much-needed relief to the people of Sudan.
Image Credit: Marwan Ali/AP
