Heavy clashes broke out between rival military factions in several parts of Sudan’s capital on Wednesday as a 72-hour ceasefire that saw several reports of violations expired, witnesses said.
Shortly before the truce ended at 6 a.m. (0400 GMT) fighting was reported in all three of the cities that make up the wider capital around the confluence of the Nile: Khartoum, Bahri and Omdurman.
Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been battling each other for more than two months, wreaking destruction on the capital, triggering widespread violence in the western region of Darfur and causing more than 2.5 million people to flee their homes.
Attacks by militias linked to the RSF in the western city of El Geneina have been described by local and foreign observers as ethnic cleansing.
Witnesses said army aircraft carried out air strikes in Bahri and the RSF responded with anti-aircraft fire. Smoke could be seen rising from the industrial area.
Witnesses also reported artillery fire and heavy clashes in Omdurman and ground fighting in southern Khartoum.
Reuters
