Fighting continues in Khartoum despite latest ceasefire agreement

KHARTOUM, MAY 21, 2023 (SUDANS POST) – The Sudanese capital, Khartoum, has been rocked by airstrikes and bombardment for the past several hours, despite a seven-day ceasefire that was signed yesterday in Saudi Arabia.

The ceasefire was agreed to by the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that is loyal to former deputy head of Sudan’s Transitional Sovereign Council Mohamed Handan Daglo.

The agreement was brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia, and it was intended to allow for the safe evacuation of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid. The agreement also provides for an end to air bombardment and evacuation of hospitals by soldiers.

However, the ceasefire seems to have so far failed to hold as air strikes by the Sudanese army, and heavy artillery bombardment inside neighborhoods by the RSF continued with both sides blaming the other for starting the violation.

The Sudan fighting, which began on April 15, 2023, has caused widespread devastation in the capital Khartoum and other cities of the country.

Many of the hospitals in Khartoum have been destroyed or occupied by soldiers and many people have been displaced from their homes, making Khartoum a ghost town.

The United Nations has warned that the fighting could lead to a humanitarian crisis.

The international community has condemned the violence in Sudan and has called on both sides to stop it. President Joe Biden earlier this month gave green light for targeted sanctions. The US has made it clear that it will continue to support the Sudanese people in their struggle for democracy.

The fighting in Sudan is a reminder of the fragility of peace in the region. The country has a long history of conflict, and it is still struggling to recover from the overthrow of its former President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.