Despite ongoing clashes between the army and Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum until yesterday evening, the short ceasefire agreed upon by the conflicting parties entered into effect , Friday.
From 6:00 a.m. today until the same time tomorrow, both military forces are expected to cease all military operations, artillery shelling, and airstrikes, in adherence to a 24-hour ceasefire agreement across the country. This new ceasefire will be closely monitored, serving as a test of intentions for both parties.
The African Affairs Bureau of the US Department of State confirmed that the ceasefire will be monitored through satellite technology, among other means. In a tweet, the bureau emphasized that the United States will continue to keep an eye on the warring parties, exerting pressure to halt hostilities, facilitate humanitarian aid, and restore essential services in the country.
Riyadh and Washington, the sponsors of the dialogue between the representatives of the two parties in the Jeddah negotiations, jointly announced their approval of a “ceasefire agreement across the country for a duration of 24 hours, starting from 6:00 a.m. on June 10, 2023 (4:00 a.m.
GMT).” They also affirmed that the new agreement aims to “deliver humanitarian assistance, break the cycle of violence, and contribute to building confidence measures between the parties, enabling the resumption of Jeddah talks.” However, they warned that “if the parties do not abide by the ceasefire, the mediators will have to postpone the Jeddah talks.”
This latest announcement came after the mediators suspended the talks last week following the withdrawal of the army. However, they encouraged both sides to observe a new ceasefire and confirmed that representatives of the parties remain in Jeddah, despite the suspension of direct negotiations. It is worth noting that since the outbreak of the conflict on April 15th, between the army led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the two sides have concluded around 13 ceasefire agreements, most of which were violated within the first hours of their implementation.
Thousands of people have been displaced from conflict zones, facing shortages of food and water, power outages, and difficulties in delivering humanitarian aid due to the security situation and the closure of airports, particularly in the capital, Khartoum.
