Despite the agreement of the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces to extend the armistice for a period of 72 hours, the clashes did not stop today (Friday) in Khartoum and the city of Bahri, adjacent to the capital. Eyewitnesses confirmed that a communications tower in Khartoum was targeted and caught fire, and television footage showed the fire in the tower.
Clashes erupted in Bahri, and columns of smoke rose from two areas. Television pictures showed the extent of the destruction of the central market in the city, as most of the shops and stalls turned to ashes.
Eyewitnesses spoke of heavy and light cannons installed in several areas, including Khartoum airport, stressing that air strikes, tank and artillery fire shook Khartoum, and the city of Bahri was subjected to heavy shelling.
Sudanese residents described to “Okaz” the situation as very difficult and frightening, and that the sounds of planes and explosions are still audible despite the truce.
And again, the two warring parties exchanged accusations about violating the agreed ceasefire between them.
Since the outbreak of fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces on April 15, several truces have been reached, but all of them failed to hold, and were punctuated by many violations. The battles have so far killed at least 512 people and wounded thousands, according to a statement by the Sudanese Ministry of Health, but the number of victims may be much more than that as a result of the ongoing fighting. The war caused the displacement of thousands of people from Khartoum and its surrounding areas to other, safer states, amid a scarcity of food and drinking water, power outages and high fuel prices.
