Sudan’s armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have agreed a 72-hour ceasefire following what US secretary of state Antony Blinken described as “intense negotiations” amid deadly clashes in the country.
Blinken said on Monday that the US would press efforts to implement a permanent halt to the fighting. But it was unclear whether the pause would hold. The Sudanese army had previously announced a ceasefire to coincide with Eid holiday marking the end of Ramadan on Friday, but heavy fighting continued around the capital.
More than 400 people have died, mostly in the capital Khartoum, after fighting erupted 10 days ago between the Sudanese armed forces, led by de facto president Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and forces commanded by his opponent, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. Known as Hemeti, Dagalo is Sudan’s vice-president and commander of the Rapid Support Forces.