Air strikes and artillery rocked Khartoum on Saturday as Sudan entered a third week of fighting between rival military forces despite a ceasefire.
As dark smoke rose over Khartoum, a UN envoy offered a possible flicker of hope, saying the warring sides that have so far shown no sign of compromise were now more open to negotiations – though no date had been set.
“I’m afraid that one day I’m asleep and I wake up to a bomb falling on my house,” said a man named Khalid, speaking to Reuters from Khartoum where he has stayed because his elderly grandmother and ill sister would suffer on the long and costly trip out.The sides have continued to battle it out during a series of ceasefires mediated by foreign powers, notably the United States. The latest 72-hour truce expires at midnight on Sunday.
Despite the fighting, violence was less intense in the capital area than in recent days, residents said. “The word ‘negotiations’ or ‘talks’ was not there in their discourse in the first week or so,” Perthes said.Perthes said the sides had nominated representatives for talks which had been suggested for Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, or Juba in South Sudan, though he said there was a practical question over whether they could get there to “actually sit together”.“They have both accepted that this war cannot continue.
“Those are circumstances, as we’ve seen elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa, where the terrorist thrives so I think there is every reason to be extremely anxious on that score,” he said, speaking to journalists at the Nairobi conference.The fighting has also reawakened a two-decade-old conflict in Darfur with fighting in several cities over the past two weeks.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sudan: UN Humanitarians Will Return to Khartoum 'As Quickly As Possible' - UN Aid CoordinatorThe UN has been forced to essentially halt all aid operations across Sudan due to the continuing fighting between rival militaries, but humanitarians who have re-located to Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast are determined to return to Khartoum "as quickly as possible", the UN Humanitarian Coordinator said on Thursday.
Read more »
Sudan: Refugees From Sudan Face Dire Conditions At Egypt's Argeen CrossingAs the political and military situation in Sudan continues to deteriorate, thousands of refugees are attempting to flee to neighbouring countries. One of the primary routes is through the Argeen land crossing into Egypt. However, the process has proven to be extremely difficult, with reports of long waits and no access to basic amenities. The crossing has seen a significant increase in traffic, with more than 20 buses arriving daily.
Read more »
Sudan: Fierce Fighting Rages Across Sudan Despite Ceasefire ExtensionSudanese fighter jets pounded paramilitary positions in Khartoum on Thursday while deadly fighting and looting flared in Darfur, despite the army and a rival force agreeing to extend a ceasefire deal.
Read more »
Second group of SAns evacuated from Sudan set to arrive home SaturdayThis would be the second group to be brought back safely to South Africa, following the arrival of two others on Friday.
Read more »