Dubai: According to a source in Sudanese diplomacy, the army has put a stop to negotiations for a cease-fire and opening up humanitarian access, which has sparked worries about new bloodshed.
Early in May, negotiations with the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) resulted in a declaration of protection for civilians and two short-term cease-fire agreements that had been repeatedly broken.
Just before a week-long cease-fire was set to expire late on Monday, the army and the RSF decided to extend it by five days.
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Saudi Arabia and the United States, who brokered the ceasefire and are now remotely monitoring it, claim that both sides have broken it, but it has still allowed for the distribution of aid to an estimated 2 million people.
Nearly 1.4 million people have been displaced by the war, including more than 350,000 who have entered neighbouring nations. Power and water supply interruptions and widespread looting have affected certain parts of the capital. The majority of hospitals are no longer in operation.
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The main shipping hub in Sudan's Red Sea state, Port Sudan, has seen little unrest and is now home to the United Nations, some aid organisations, embassies, and a portion of the central government.
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Since former ruler Omar Al-Bashir was overthrown in a popular uprising in 2019, the army and the RSF had held the top positions on Sudan's ruling council. They staged a coup in 2021 just before they were to hand over control of the council to civilians, but they later disagreed over the chain of command and the RSF's restructuring during the envisaged transition.