Sudan: Renewed Clashes after Suspension of Jeddah Talks

Clashes between the two sides in Sudan’s conflict occurred overnight in Khartoum and continued into Friday morning, after talks aimed at stabilizing a ceasefire and easing a humanitarian crisis stalled, prompting the United States to impose sanctions.

Reuters, citing residents in Khartoum and the nearby city of Omdurman, reported that the army resumed airstrikes and used more artillery as clashes continued with no signs of the RSF pulling back from the streets of the city and the homes it occupied.

“We are suffering from war very badly”, said Shihab al-Din Abdul Rahman, 31, from a southern district of the capital.. Since the morning there are violent voices, we are living in terror.

Stalled negotiations

The United States and Saudi Arabia suspended truce talks on Thursday after a brokered ceasefire collapsed, accusing both sides of occupying homes, businesses and hospitals, carrying out air strikes, attacks and banned military movements.

A senior U.S. official said Washington has imposed sanctions on military companies and the RSF and threatened further action “if both sides continue to destroy their country,” Reuters reported.

“The government of Sudan… is in a state of total war,” said Sudan’s ambassador to Washington, Mohamed Abdallah Idris. “The Sudanese army signed the truce in Jeddah and strictly followed its agreement. If there are sanctions, let those who do not comply implement what they signed,” he said, referring to the Rapid Support Forces.

Both sides accuse each other of violating the truce, with residents of the capital reeling under a war that has devastated parts of central Khartoum and threatened to destabilize the wider region.
Seven weeks of clashes between the army and rapid support have displaced 1.2 million people inside Sudan, and another 400,000 have fled to neighboring countries.