Sudanese fighter jets attacked paramilitaries in the capital of Khartoum on Thursday, while fighting and looting continued in Darfur. The army has agreed to extend a ceasefire for an additional 72 hours, following pressure from Saudi Arabia and the United States. This comes after multiple truce efforts failed since fighting broke out on April 15 between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. At least 512 people have been killed and 4,193 wounded in the fighting, according to health ministry figures. Hospitals have been shelled and more than two-thirds are out of service.
Fighting has also erupted in the provinces, particularly in the western region of Darfur. Witnesses reported clashes raging for a second day in the West Darfur capital El Geneina, with pro-democracy medics reporting a doctor shot dead. The UN humanitarian agency said the fighting in West Darfur had disrupted food supplies to an estimated 50,000 acutely malnourished children. The violence has trapped many civilians in their homes, where they have endured severe food, water, and electricity shortages.
Foreign governments have been evacuating their citizens, with the UK urging Britons to leave while they can. As lawlessness has gripped Sudan, there have been several jailbreaks, including from the high-security Kober prison, where top aides of ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir were held. Among the escapees is Ahmed Harun, wanted by the International Criminal Court to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. Bashir was toppled by the military in April 2019 following civilian mass protests that raised hopes for a transition to democracy.
