More fighting in Sudan as negotiated ceasefire approaches

Heavy fighting is continuing in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, just hours before a ceasefire is due to take effect on Monday evening.

Local media reported that artillery fire could be heard in the morning.

Earlier on Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that representatives of the Sudanese army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had agreed on a seven-day ceasefire.

While similar agreements had failed to hold in the past, this time both sides had signed the agreement, Blinken said.

In addition, a monitoring mechanism supported by the U.S. and Saudi Arabia would be set up to report violations of the ceasefire.

Both sides declared their intention to comply with the agreement.

A long-simmering power struggle escalated violently in the country on the Horn of Africa on April 15.

The army under the command of de facto President, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan is fighting against the paramilitary units of his deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo.

The two generals seized power together in 2021, but later fell out. (dpa/NAN)