Sudan Conflict: Saudi Arabia, United States Call For Extended Ceasefire

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia and the United States advocated for the renewal of a ceasefire agreement that has delivered some respite to a six-week battle between armed groups in Sudan but provided little humanitarian help to civilians.

Residents reported violence overnight in Khartoum and Omdurman, a city over the Nile, while human rights monitors recorded fatal fighting in El Fashir, one of the main cities in Darfur's western area.

The fight between Sudan's army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which started on April 15, has left the capital reeling from intense combat, anarchy, and a breakdown in services, displacing over 1.3 million people and threatening to destabilize the area.

A week-long ceasefire reached in Saudi-led negotiations in Jeddah is set to last through Monday evening.

Both countries are remotely monitoring the truce, which has been repeatedly violated, and called on the army and the RSF “to continue discussions to reach agreement on extending the ceasefire”.

“While imperfect, an extension nonetheless will facilitate the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian assistance to the Sudanese people,” Saudi Arabia and the US said in a joint statement.

The RSF has stated that it is willing to explore the prospect of renewing the agreement and that it would continue to monitor it "to test the seriousness and commitment of the other party to proceed with the renewal of the agreement or not."

There was no word on whether the truce with the army will be renewed.

Since the battle began, more than 300,000 individuals have crossed Sudan's borders, with the majority travelling north to Egypt from Khartoum or west to Chad from Darfur.

Factories, offices, houses, and banks have all been plundered or damaged in Khartoum. 

Power, water, and telecommunications are frequently cut off, and there are severe shortages of medications and medical equipment, as well as food supplies.