Fighting rages in Sudan minutes after ceasefire was due to take effect, gunmen storm homes of UN staff

Fighting continued in parts of Sudan's capital Khartoum on Tuesday just as a 24-hour ceasefire was set to kick in. Explosions, heavy gunfire and sounds of fighter jets were heard in several areas. There were also reports of gunmen storming the homes of people working for the United Nations and other international organisations. amid conflicting reports of an agreed ceasefire in the country.Sudan's rival commanders have agreed to a 24-hour ceasefire following pressure from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Sudan's capital Khartoum has been engulfed by fighting for days now. A United States diplomatic convoy also came under fire. The attack took place on clearly marked embassy vehicles, on Monday, while preliminary reports suggest that the assailants were from the RSF, Blinken said.

“I made very clear that any attacks threats, dangers posed to our diplomats were totally unacceptable," Blinken warned.

The conflict between Sudan's military leader and his deputy broke out four days ago. The United Nations has termed the situation in Sudan a humanitarian catastrophe, including the near collapse of the health system. Over 200 people have reportedly died in the fighting across the country.

The ceasefire will not extend beyond the agreed 24 hours, Army General Shams El Din Kabbashi, a member of Sudan's ruling military council, said on al Arabiya TV. "We have accepted this for the duration of 24 hours only because of the severe humanitarian situation the residents of Khartoum are experiencing where movement is difficult, hospitals and other services like electricity and water are scarce," Kabbashi said on Al Arabiya TV.

The station aired live footage of explosions and plumes of thick black smoke rising on the Khartoum skyline. Sounds of gunfire could also be heard in the final hour before the ceasefire deadline.

A newsreader told viewers in the video: "These images are coming to us specifically from the vicinity of the Army's General Command in the Sudanese capital Khartoum. Dear viewers, we can now listen to the sound of gunfire and the use of heavy artillery."

However, closer to the ceasefire deadline, fighting tailed off. The ceasefire is likely to bring relief to people in the capital and across the country.

Deadly violence broke out Saturday between the forces of two generals following a weeks-long power struggle. Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, had seized power in a 2021 coup. Daglo commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

(With inputs from agencies)

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