KHARTOUM, Sudan – Reports indicate that shelling and gunfire have resumed in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, ending a 24-hour ceasefire that provided a brief respite for civilians caught in nearly two months of conflict.
Fighting has continued unabated in the northeast African country since mid-April, when army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, RSF, found themselves at odds.
The recent ceasefire had given trapped civilians an opportunity to stock up on food and other essential supplies.
However, the ceasefire ended at 6:00 am local time on Sunday, June 11, 2023, and witnesses reported the resumption of shelling and gunfire a mere ten minutes later.
Reports indicate heavy artillery fire in Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman to the north.
Clashes were also reported on Al-Hawa Street, a major artery in the south of the capital.
Multiple ceasefires have been agreed upon, only to be subsequently broken.
Following the collapse of the last ceasefire in May, the United States imposed sanctions on both rival generals.
The latest nationwide ceasefire was announced by US and Saudi mediators who warned that repeated ceasefire violations might lead them to discontinue their mediation efforts.
The mediators expressed their shared frustration over the uneven implementation of previous ceasefires.
The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project reports that more than 1,800 people have been killed since the fighting started.
The United Nations has reported that nearly two million people have been displaced, with 476,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries.
