KHARTOUM: Fierce fighting raged in Sudan’s capital despite an hours-long pause on Sunday to address humanitarian needs, including the evacuation of wounded, on the second day of battles that left three UN staff among more than 50 civilians killed throughout the country.

The World Food Programme said it was suspending operations in the impoverished country after the killing of its three workers.

The battles between the powerful armed forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) sparked an international outcry and regional concern, including border closures by neighbours Egypt and Chad.

Deafening explosions and intense gunfire rattled buildings in the capital Khartoum’s densely-populated northern and southern suburbs as tanks rumbled on the streets and fighter jets roared overhead, witnesses said.

56 civilians dead; UN suspends operations after workers’ killing; Egypt, Chad close borders

Fighting continued after nightfall on Sunday, as Sudanese hunkered down in their homes with fears of a prolonged conflict that could plunge the country into deeper chaos, dashing long-held hopes for a transition to civilian-led democracy.

Violence erupted early Saturday following weeks of power struggles between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo who heads the heavily-armed RSF.

The pro-democracy Central Committee of Sudan Doctors reported 56 civilians killed as well as “tens of deaths” among security forces, and around 600 wounded.

Late Sunday afternoon the army said they had “agreed to a United Nations proposal to open safe passage for humanitarian cases”, including the evacuation of wounded, for three hours which ended at 1700 GMT.

RSF confirmed the measure, though they said it would last four hours, and both sides maintained their right to “respond in the event of transgressions” from the other side. Despite the pause, heavy gunfire could still be heard in central Khartoum near the airport, and dense black smoke billowed from the surrounding area.

Daglo’s RSF say they have seized the presidential palace, Khartoum airport and other locations, but the army insist they are still in control.

Fighting also erupted in the western Darfur region and in the eastern border state of Kassala, where a witness said the army fired artillery at a paramilitary camp. The UN said its WFP employees had been killed on Saturday in North Darfur and announced a “temporary halt to all operations in Sudan”.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2023