Sudan’s battling factions agree to a 72 hour ceasefire

A new 72-hour ceasefire will begin on Sunday, hours after the airstrike, between Sudan’s armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

The ceasefire will begin on June 18 at six in the morning and last through June 21. The foreign ministry of Saudi Arabia tweeted, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America announce that representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire across Sudan beginning on June 18 at 6:00 a.m. Khartoum time until June 21.”

Additionally, a joint statement from Saudi Arabia and the US was made which read, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America announce that representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire across Sudan beginning on June 18 at 6:oo a.m. Khartoum time until June 21.”

“The parties agreed that during the ceasefire they will refrain from prohibited movements, attacks, use of military aircraft or drones, artillery strikes, reinforcement of positions and resupply of forces, and will refrain from seeking military advantage during the ceasefire. They also agreed to allow the unimpeded movement and delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout the country,” it further stated.

The facilitators urged the parties to fully abide by the ceasefire agreement and to stop the severe violence in light of the June 19 humanitarian donors conference and the immense suffering experienced by the Sudanese people. Facilitators will have to consider postponing the Jeddah negotiations if the parties do not abide by the IV-hour ceasefire.

Airstrike in Sudan’s capital Khartoum killed 17 people including 5 children on Sunday

As fighting between rival generals vying to rule Sudan continued earlier on Saturday, an air strike in the nation’s capital Khartoum killed 17 people, including 5 children, according to Al Jazeera. The conflict between the paramilitary RSF and the Sudanese army, which aims to rule the nation, is now in its third month.

The Yarmouk neighbourhood in southern Khartoum was the target of the bombings, according to the country’s health ministry, which has been the focal point of recent clashes. Many hurt civilians were taken to hospitals for treatment, according to the ministry’s Facebook post. Al Jazeera reports that 25 homes were destroyed in the attack.

The ministry added that the Yarmouk attack was a “massacre” and that the victims included five children as well as an unknown number of women and elderly people.