Gunfire rocks Sudan truce deal right after it takes effect

Gulf Today Report

A 24-hour truce agreed between Sudan's rival military factions was quickly disrupted by renewed gunfire in the Khartoum capital region on Tuesday, despite US pressure to calm fighting that has touched off a humanitarian crisis.

Heavy gunfire echoed in the background of live feeds by Arab television news channels and residents told reporters that shooting had not ceased, with one saying they had heard an air strike being carried out in Omdurman, Khartoum's sister city on the opposite bank of the Nile river.

The commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, confirmed, on Tuesday, that the Sudanese army will abide by the ceasefire proposed by international forces, starting at 6:00 pm on Tuesday local time, for a period of 24 hours.

Al-Burhan said, "We did not agree on the start time, but we will certainly adhere to the proposal of the tripartite mechanism that the truce be extended for a period of 24 hours, starting at 6 pm today," according to what he confirmed to CNN.

The tripartite mechanism is the United Nations Transitional Support Mission in Sudan (UNITAMS), the African Union (AU), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

The Rapid Support Forces had earlier announced approval of a 24-hour ceasefire and accused the Sudanese army of violating the truce.

The Sudanese army had denied earlier, on Tuesday, its knowledge of any cease-fire, after the commander of the Rapid Support Forces, Muhammad Hamdan Daglo, confirmed his agreement to a truce, and the army stated in a statement, “We are not aware of any coordination with the mediators and the international community about a 24-hour truce.

“We have entered a critical phase and our efforts are focused on achieving its objectives at the operational level.”

More than 200 people have been killed and more than 1,800 wounded since fighting began on Saturday, according to UN figures, which did not include a breakdown of civilians and combatants.

The Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate said Tuesday that at least 144 civilians were killed and more than 1,400 were wounded.

The overall death toll could be much higher because clashes in Khartoum have prevented the removal of bodies in some areas.