Sudanese army agrees to 7-day truce extension, but fighting continues in Khartoum

Khartoum, May 4 (IANS) Amid continued fighting in Khartoum, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) announced an agreement to a regional initiative proposing a one-week ceasefire to stop the violent armed clashes between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

"As part of its initiative to deal with the country's current crisis, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) offered a new proposal including extending the current truce for a week and naming a representative from each side to discuss the truce," the SAF statement said.

"The SAF expressed acceptance of the proposal based on the principle of African solutions to the issues of the continent, and in consideration to the humanitarian aspects of our citizens, taking into account the ongoing American-Saudi initiative," Xinhua news agency quoted the statement issued late Wednesday as saying.

The army stressed that it hopes the other party would abide by the requirements of the proposed truce.

However, the RSF has not yet commented on the IGAD initiative.

Earlier on Wednesday, fighting continued in central Khartoum.

The Sudanese police said in a statement that the RSF ambushed one of its patrols in central Khartoum and killed five of its personnel.

In response, the RSF said it had repulsed an attack by an army force dressed in uniforms of the central reserve police forces, which attempted to attack its posts in central Khartoum.

Meanwhile, given that clashes have pushed the country to the edge of a humanitarian crisis, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths arrived in Sudan.

"Just arrived in Port Sudan to reaffirm the UN's commitment to the Sudanese people," Griffiths tweeted on Wednesday.

He expressed gratitude for the unwavering dedication of the humanitarian community and local volunteers doing their best to help.

Regarding the local endeavours to end the armed conflict in the country, Khalid Omer Yousif, spokesman of the political process in Sudan, welcomed in a statement on Wednesday any efforts to ensure a ceasefire.

Yousif urged for coordinating the regional and international efforts to back the push for a ceasefire, saying "we call for a comprehensive ceasefire and then a return to the negotiation table."

Fighting between the SAF and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas erupted on April 15, with the two sides accusing each other of initiating the conflict which has pushed the country to the edge of a humanitarian crisis.

According to UN statistics, thousands of Sudanese citizens have been displaced or forced to seek refuge in safe areas in Sudan and neighbouring countries, including Egypt, Ethiopia and Chad.

So far, the deadly clashes have left more than 550 people dead and 4,926 others wounded, according to the Sudanese Health Ministry.

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