Sudan’s warring parties trade blame over breach of truce
LULL IN FIGHTING SEES PEOPLE STEP OUT FOR ESSENTIALS, MEDICAL ATTENTION
Sudan’s warring sides yesterday accused each other of being behind breaches of the latest ceasefire that was negotiated by the US and Saudi Arabia, now in its third day.
The one-week truce was violated only minutes after it came into effect on Monday night, with residents of the capital Khartoum reporting rattling air strikes and artillery fire.
Breaches of the ceasefire agreement, which is meant to allow for much-needed humanitarian aid to reach warravaged parts of the northeast African country, have since continued. It is the latest of a series of truces that have all been systematically violated.
Since April 15, Sudan’s capital and other parts of the country have been gripped by brutal urban warfare between the regular army, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). But though the current ceasefire has been violated, it has allowed for a lull in fighting that has seen frightened residents cautiously venture out of their homes, some for the first time in weeks.
Many have gone out for supplies of food and water or to seek much-needed medical attention after nearly six weeks of war that have sharply depleted vital supplies and pushed the health care system to the brink of collapse.
Conflicting claims
In a statement issued late Wednesday, the RSF, which is led by Mohammad Hamdan Daglo, sought to place the blame for ceasefire breaches on the army led by Sudan’s de facto leader Abdul Fattah Al Burhan.
The army “launched a series of unwarranted attacks today”, the RSF said, adding that “our forces decisively repelled these assaults”. “Our forces successfully shot down a SAF MiG jet fighter,” The RSF said, reiterating however that it remained “committed to the humanitarian truce” and called on the “aggressors to respect the ceasefire”.
The army responded yesterday, saying it had “countered an attack on armoured vehicles by the militias of the Rapid
Support Forces in a clear violation of the truce”.
The United States and Saudi Arabia, which brokered the truce, pointed to reports “indicating that both sides violated the agreement” but said “fighting in Khartoum appeared to be less intense”. But desperately needed aid has yet to reach the capital despite the brief lull.