Khartoum, Sudan

Clashes erupted and also there were reports of air strikes in Khartoum, Sudan just minutes after a ceasefire between the army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces officially went into force on Monday, news agency AFP reported citing witnesses. 

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The one-week ceasefire started at 9:45pm (1945 GMT), but it turned out to be similar to the other truces that have been announced and breached during the course of fighting. 

However, the United States and Saudi Arabia, which brokered the deal, claimed that this one was "signed by the parties" and will be supported by a "ceasefire monitoring mechanism". 

The deadly clashes between the army and the main paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have escalated. The army units loyal to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of Sudan's transitional governing Sovereign Council clashed with RSF, which is led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, who is deputy head of the council. 

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But for the first time, the ceasefire agreement included a monitoring structure comprising the army and the RSF, also representatives from Saudi Arabia and the US. 

The RSF produced an audio statement from its leader shortly before the ceasefire was about to go into effect, in which he praised Saudi Arabia and the US but urged his forces to victory. He said, "We will not retreat until we end this coup." 

Both sides accused each other of attempting to seize control ever since the fighting started on April 15. 

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The ceasefire agreement has raised hopes of a pause in a war that has displaced about 1.1 million people, including over 250,000 who have fled into neighbouring countries, threatening to destabilise a fragile area. 

Volker Perthes, who is the UN special representative to Sudan said that it should allow civilians to move and give access to humanitarian aid. 

He told the U.N. Security Council in New York: "This is a welcome development, though the fighting and troop movements have continued even today, despite a commitment of both sides not to pursue military advantage before the ceasefire takes effect." 

'The situation is horrible' 

Residents in Khartoum, Omdurman, and Bahri, the three cities that comprise the greater capital and are divided by the confluence of the Blue Nile and White Nile, reported air attacks on Monday. 

As quoted by Reuters, Salma Abdallah, who is a resident of the Al Riyadh neighbourhood in Khartoum, said: "The situation is horrible. The planes are bombing us on every side and from the strength of the vibration of the house doors, we feel like we'll die today."  

(With inputs from agencies) 

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