A pro-democracy lawyers group reported that the bombardments in the Sudanese capital have resulted in the death of at least 33 civilians, predominantly due to army air strikes.
On Thursday, the group disclosed that artillery fire claimed the lives of 10 civilians in a residential area of Khartoum, where the army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been engaged in conflict since April.
Sudan’s army chief, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, rejected an agreement signed between the RSF and political groups and pledged to continue the nine-month-long war in a recent address to troops.
The RSF expressed openness to an immediate, unconditional ceasefire through talks with the Sudanese army, signing a declaration with the Taqqadum civilian coalition and extending an invitation to the army to do the same.
The prolonged conflict in Sudan, contributing to the world’s largest displacement crisis, has severely damaged the country’s infrastructure and raised concerns about famine. Despite efforts led by the United States and Saudi Arabia to negotiate a resolution, previous agreements to protect civilians have gone unheeded.
Moussa Faki Mahamat, chief of the African Union Commission, urged an immediate cessation of hostilities and called for both sides to engage in negotiations to establish and sustain peace in Sudan.
According to the UN, the conflict has resulted in over 12,000 deaths and more than 33,000 injuries, with approximately 25 million people, half of the population, requiring humanitarian aid.
The crisis has forced over 7 million people in Sudan to be displaced within the country or seek refuge in neighboring nations in search of security.
