New clashes erupt in Sudan despite truce as UN warns of 'breaking point'

Fierce fighting has broken out again in violence-wracked Sudan with gunfire heard in the capital despite an extension of a ceasefire between rival military forces.

The Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been locked in battles since April 15, once again violated the latest 72-hour armistice after its announcement on Sunday night, with reports of fighting in Khartoum coming in on Monday.

Millions of Sudanese around the capital have since hidden in their homes with dwindling food, water, and electricity as warplanes have drawn heavy fire from anti-aircraft guns.

"Warplanes are flying over southern Khartoum and anti-aircraft guns are firing at it," said one resident on Monday, while another witness told AFP he was also hearing "loud gunfire" in the area.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese army said it hoped that the RSF forces that it referred to as the "rebels" would stick to the ceasefire but it believed they had intended to keep up attacks.

The RSF, however, said its forces would hold the ceasefire which it had been agreed to "in response to international, regional, and local calls."

Till now, the Sudan conflict has left at least 528 people dead and 4,599 wounded, the health ministry said. However, the real number of casualties is much higher, according to the United Nations data.

Sudan’s fragile truce extended for 72 hours, as warring sides trade blame for ceasefire violations

A shaky ceasefire between Sudan

The conflict has also deepened the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, where a third of the people were dependent on some form of humanitarian assistance before the fighting erupted, said Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator at the United Nations.

"The scale and speed of what is unfolding in Sudan is unprecedented. We are extremely concerned by the immediate as well as long-term impact on all people in Sudan and the broader region," he said.

UN's World Food Programme (WFP) announced on Monday that it will immediately lift the suspension of its operations in Sudan that was put in place after the tragic deaths of its team member.

"WFP is rapidly resuming our programs to provide the life-saving assistance that many so desperately need right now," WFP executive director Cindy McCain wrote on Twitter.

WFP has warned the unrest could plunge millions more into hunger in a country where 15 million people already needed aid to stave off famine.

Two weeks ago the WFP stopped its operations in Sudan after three of its employees were killed in clashes between the army and the paramilitary forces.

Only 16 percent of health facilities are functioning in Khartoum, according to the World Health Organization, with many facilities shelled.

Griffiths said on Sunday he was heading to the region to help "bring immediate relief to the millions of people whose lives have turned upside down overnight".

"The humanitarian situation is reaching breaking point," he said. "Goods essential for people's survival are becoming scarce in the hardest-hit urban centers, especially Khartoum."

"The cost of transportation out of worst-hit areas has risen exponentially, leaving the most vulnerable unable to locate to safer areas."

On Sunday, a first Red Cross plane brought eight tonnes of humanitarian aid from Jordan to Port Sudan, which is so far untouched by the fighting and has served as an evacuation hub.

The aid included surgical material and medical kits to stabilize 1,500 patients.

Meanwhile, Central Reserve Police have been deployed across Khartoum to "protect citizens' properties" from looting, the Sudanese police said, confirming an army statement.

The RSF had warned police against joining the fight.

Sudan crisis: Fighting enters third week as UN warns country falling apart

Fighting in Sudan enters its third week as UN says the country is collapsing.

Sudan's conflict has led to a shortage of food, water, and fuel, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes and cross into neighboring country's borders. It has prompted the UN chief to call for international mediation, warning that the country could fall apart.

In related news, an envoy from Sudan met with the Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, who called for the restoration of calm in Sudan, his ministry said on Sunday. Moreover, Egypt has called an Arab League meeting of its permanent delegates on Monday to discuss the "situation in Sudan".

Sudan's former prime minister has warned  that the ongoing conflict between the rivaling forces in the country could turn into "a nightmare for the world."

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