A week-long ceasefire period agreed by Sudan’s warring factions and designed to allow for the delivery of aid has begun after the army conducted heavy air strikes across the capital Khartoum against its paramilitary rivals.
The ceasefire, which was agreed to on Saturday after five weeks of fierce battles between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces [RSF], was due to take effect at 9:45pm [19:45 GMT] on Monday.
The ceasefire deal includes a monitoring mechanism involving the army and the RSF as well as representatives from Saudi Arabia and the United States, which brokered the agreement after talks in Jeddah.
Though fighting has continued through previous ceasefires, this is the first truce to be formally agreed on following negotiations.
Sudan’s army conducted air attacks in Khartoum, hours before the deal aimed at allowing the delivery of aid was due to take effect.
Residents reported air strikes in Khartoum, Omdurman and Khartoum North, the three cities that make up the greater capital, separated by the confluence of the Blue Nile and White Nile.
The deal has raised hopes of a pause in fighting that erupted on April 15 and has driven nearly 1.1 million people from their homes, including more than 250,000 who have fled into neighboring countries.
