A ceasefire was signed by Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group, to allow for safe passage for humanitarian aid and lead to wider talks sponsored by the United States and Saudi Arabia. Witnesses reported that Khartoum was calmer on Saturday morning, although some sporadic clashes were reported overnight. The conflict, which began on April 15, has caused over 1.3 million Sudanese to flee their homes and caused a breakdown in services such as electricity, water and phone networks. Despite the truce, aid agencies have struggled to get the bureaucratic and security guarantees to transport aid and staff to Khartoum and other hot zones.
Fighting has also expanded into the Darfur region, where the governmental Combating Violence Against Women and Children Unit received reports of 25 cases of rape of women and girls in Darfur and 24 reports of rape in Khartoum since the conflict erupted. It said that victims had described 43 of the men as wearing RSF uniforms and either riding vehicles with RSF licenses or located in RSF-controlled areas. The RSF has denied reports that its soldiers are engaged in sexual assaults or looting.
On Saturday, the RSF accused the army of violating the ceasefire and destroying the country’s mint in an air strike. The army had accused the RSF on Friday of targeting the mint. The conflict has killed at least 730 civilians. Aid agencies say that warehouses have been looted and looters have ransacked homes, mostly in well-off neighborhoods.
Sudanese police said they were expanding deployment and called in able retired officers to help. A resident of Khartoum expressed concern over the lack of support from the government or international aid organizations, saying “We are humans, where is the humanity?”
