Sudan: Rival forces 'agree to 24-hour ceasefire' as death toll climbs to nearly 200

Fighting is still raging in Sudan hours after an internationally brokered truce was supposed to have come into effect, Rageh Omaar has the latest

Rival military forces in Sudan have continued fighting despite agreeing to an internationally brokered 24-hour ceasefire.

Both sides have been accused of battling for key locations in the capital and violating the truce, which was implemented after four days of intense fighting.

More than 185 people, including 144 civilians, have been killed and more than 1,800 injured, according to the UN, since fighting broke out at the weekend.

The real death figure is likely to be higher as clashes in densely populated areas, including the capital Khartoum, have made it is too dangerous to remove bodies lying in the streets.

Fighting between the rival fractions has bought bombardments and terror to the doorsteps of residents in the country's cities as fears grow over water and food shortages.

A six-year-old child was among several killed after a hospital in Khartoum was bombed.

The airstrike damaged a maternity ward, forcing medics to evacuate, leaving patients, including newborns in incubators, behind.

Hospitals were increasingly struggling to cope, with 12 forced to close in the capital area after being damaged by airstrikes, inaccessible because of the fighting, or having run out of fuel, the Sudanese Doctors’ Syndicate said.

The situation is “extremely dire,” said Atiya Abdulla Atiya, of the Doctors' Syndicate.

The World Health Organization said many hospitals in Khartoum reported shortages of “blood, transfusion equipment, intravenous fluids, medical supplies and other life-saving commodities.”

The escalating violence is part of a power struggle between two of Africa's most powerful men: General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, commander of the armed forces, and General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, head of the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary group of around 100,000.

The pair are former allies who jointly orchestrated an October 2021 military coup that derailed Sudan’s short-lived transition to democracy.

Lt. General Shams El Din Kabbashi, a senior figure in the military command, was quoted by Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera as saying the military would comply with the ceasefire.

Meanwhile, CNN Arabic cited the head of the military, General Abdel Fattah Burhan, as agreeing to be party to the day-long truce.

But hours before the ceasefire was due to begin, fighting continued on the streets of Khartoum.

The violence has raised the spectre of civil war just as the Sudanese were trying to revive the drive for a democratic, civilian government after decades of military rule.

Amid increasing alarm, the international community has stepped up efforts for a ceasefire.

US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, spoke to the rival leaders on Monday night seeking a 24-hour halt in fighting as a foundation for a longer truce and return to negotiations.

There was no immediate public announcement of a ceasefire from military officials on Tuesday.

The streets were largely empty as airstrikes and shelling intensified in parts of Khartoum, and the adjoining city of Omdurman as fears grew over food and water shortages. Students at the University of Khartoum, which is located near the general command of the armed forces, have been trapped inside campus buildings for three days as artillery and gunfire rain down around them.

Al-Muzaffar Farouk, 23, is one of 89 students, faculty members and staff sheltering inside the university library.

"It is scary that our country will turn into a battlefield overnight," he said. Despite food and water running low, the dangers outside make it impossible to leave. A student was killed after attempting to run to the library from a nearby building.

The university has asked humanitarian organisations to help evacuate those stranded on the campus on social media.

Khartoum resident, Germain Mwehu, who works for the Red Cross, said: "I can see outside smoke rising from buildings. And I can hear from my residence blasts, heavy gunfire from outside. The streets are totally empty."

Meanwhile, a US diplomatic convoy came under fire on Tuesday. No one was hurt, Mr Blinken said, as he denounced “indiscriminate military operations.”

Sudan had been a beacon of hope in the region after successfully overthrowing dictator Omar al-Bashir in 2019. But the road to democracy has been bumpy and was derailed by the tussle for control of the country that spilled out over into violence.

International powers continue to call for a ceasefire.

The UN's World Food Programme pulled out of the region after three aid agency workers were killed in the fighting.

The UK condemned the “disgusting” targeting of aid workers in Sudan as it advised against all travel to the country.

ITV News' Ayshah Tull explains the background to the conflict

UK Foreign Office minister Andrew Mitchell told the Commons on Monday the “escalating violence is incredibly worrying”.

“Continued fighting will only cost further civilian lives and worsen the existing humanitarian crisis.

“Aid workers and civilians must never be a target. Aid agencies must be allowed to deliver life-saving assistance safely to those in desperate need. It is a disgusting turn of events though sadly, not unique, that humanitarians are targeted in this way," he said.

He said the UK government was supporting British nationals and their relatives.

Mr Mitchell said the government were "calling on both sides to break the cycle of violence and return to negotiations to agree an immediate return to civilian government for the sake of the people of Sudan and the region.”

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