Khartoum,May 1 : Air strikes have pounded Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, despite a truce aimed at allowing civilians to flee. The army said it was attacking the city to flush out its paramilitary rivals, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The fighting intensified even as the warring sides said they would extend the truce by another three days.
More than 500 deaths have been reported with the true number of casualties believed to be much higher. Millions remain trapped in Khartoum. Army commander Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF chief Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, are vying for power – and disagree in particular about plans to include the RSF into the army.
The generals agreed a humanitarian truce after intensive diplomatic efforts by neighbouring countries, the US, UK and UN. It was extended, but did not hold.However, it remains unclear on what they will do in the next stage of the deal arrived at with US and Saudi mediation, according to the army.
Before the announcement of the extension on Sunday, the army said it had conducted operations against RSF troops north of the city centre.Hamid Khalafallah, from the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, is one of those unable to flee.
‘When there is very loud bombing and it gets closer, we take shelter in the house, try to all come to a central room, far from windows, far from walls, and so on, and just lie on the floor until it passes.’ When it’s a bit further, we try to use the quiet hours that we get – a couple of hours a day – to just quickly go out and get what we need which is also very risky but we have to do it.’
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