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| Sudan fighting: Street battles dash hopes of Eid ceasefire | Sudan fighting: Street battles dash hopes of Eid ceasefire |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| There is a sombre mood as people mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan | There is a sombre mood as people mark the end of the fasting month of Ramadan |
| Street battles are being fought by Sudan's rival forces in the capital, Khartoum, in an escalation of violence despite calls for a ceasefire to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. | Street battles are being fought by Sudan's rival forces in the capital, Khartoum, in an escalation of violence despite calls for a ceasefire to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. |
| The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said they had agreed to a three-day truce and several hours later the army did the same. | The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) said they had agreed to a three-day truce and several hours later the army did the same. |
| But bombing, shelling and gunfire continue. | But bombing, shelling and gunfire continue. |
| At least 400 people have been killed in a week of fighting. | At least 400 people have been killed in a week of fighting. |
| It is the result of a bitter power struggle between two factions of the Sudanese military leadership over how the country should be run. | It is the result of a bitter power struggle between two factions of the Sudanese military leadership over how the country should be run. |
| A Sudanese employee of the UN's International Organization for Migration has been killed in crossfire south of El Obeid, some 430km (270 miles) south-west of Khartoum, the agency says. | A Sudanese employee of the UN's International Organization for Migration has been killed in crossfire south of El Obeid, some 430km (270 miles) south-west of Khartoum, the agency says. |
| The army says it has deployed more weapons and soldiers to "comb" the streets looking for members of the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). | The army says it has deployed more weapons and soldiers to "comb" the streets looking for members of the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). |
| Khartoum's international airport is still closed but the European Union says it is planning for a possible evacuation of the 1,500 or so EU nationals in the city. Other foreign embassies - the US, UK and Japan included - have so far been unable to bring their citizens home. | Khartoum's international airport is still closed but the European Union says it is planning for a possible evacuation of the 1,500 or so EU nationals in the city. Other foreign embassies - the US, UK and Japan included - have so far been unable to bring their citizens home. |
| On Friday US Army General Mark Milley, who heads the US military, discussed the safety of Americans in Sudan with the army commander, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, as the US considers evacuating its embassy staff. | |
| LIVE: Latest update from the fighting in Sudan, and other stories from Africa | LIVE: Latest update from the fighting in Sudan, and other stories from Africa |
| UNSUNG HEROES: How food and medicine is being distributed | UNSUNG HEROES: How food and medicine is being distributed |
| PODCAST: The origins of the conflict | PODCAST: The origins of the conflict |
| SIMPLE GUIDE: What is going on in Sudan? | SIMPLE GUIDE: What is going on in Sudan? |
| Earlier on Friday residents in Khartoum said it felt like a ghost town, in stark contrast to the joyful mood usually seen during Eid. | Earlier on Friday residents in Khartoum said it felt like a ghost town, in stark contrast to the joyful mood usually seen during Eid. |
| People there and in the twin city of Omdurman told the BBC they were still feeling a mixture of shock and anger. | People there and in the twin city of Omdurman told the BBC they were still feeling a mixture of shock and anger. |
| Two women crying at the entrance to a mosque explained they had lost several family members - including two children. | Two women crying at the entrance to a mosque explained they had lost several family members - including two children. |
| Watch: Shocking sounds of heavy bombardment in Sudanese capital Khartoum | |
| Watch: Shocking sounds of heavy bombardment in Sudanese capital Khartoum | |
| Eid is the Muslim festival marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan - and Sudanese people usually relish it as a time for visiting family and eating together with their neighbours, while children play and enjoy sweets. | Eid is the Muslim festival marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan - and Sudanese people usually relish it as a time for visiting family and eating together with their neighbours, while children play and enjoy sweets. |
| Prayer services would normally be packed on Eid, but on Friday many mosques in Khartoum and Omdurman were almost empty as people sheltered at home. | Prayer services would normally be packed on Eid, but on Friday many mosques in Khartoum and Omdurman were almost empty as people sheltered at home. |
| Others have fled the capital for their home regions. | Others have fled the capital for their home regions. |
| But this is not an option for Mahasin Dahab and her family. She told the BBC's Newsday programme she cares for a disabled relative who would find it "extremely uncomfortable" to leave the city, plus there was a risk that people elsewhere could be less accepting of him. | But this is not an option for Mahasin Dahab and her family. She told the BBC's Newsday programme she cares for a disabled relative who would find it "extremely uncomfortable" to leave the city, plus there was a risk that people elsewhere could be less accepting of him. |
| So she is staying put for the time being, despite running out of water and grieving the deaths of colleagues and neighbours. | So she is staying put for the time being, despite running out of water and grieving the deaths of colleagues and neighbours. |
| At its heart, this is a power struggle between two powerful military men over the roadmap for returning the country to civilian rule following the 2019 coup that toppled long-time leader Omar al-Bashir. | At its heart, this is a power struggle between two powerful military men over the roadmap for returning the country to civilian rule following the 2019 coup that toppled long-time leader Omar al-Bashir. |
| As part of that plan the country's current military government - made up of the army led by General Burhan and the RSF led by Mohamed Hamdan "Hemedti" Dagalo - were supposed to merge their forces. | |
| But the RSF has resisted this change, and began to mobilise its troops which escalated into full-blown fighting between the two sides last Saturday. | But the RSF has resisted this change, and began to mobilise its troops which escalated into full-blown fighting between the two sides last Saturday. |
| Thousands of people have been injured in the past week but medical centres are overwhelmed and under-equipped to treat the influx of patients - the fighting has left 70% of hospitals in conflict zones out of service, according to the Sudan Doctors' Trade Union. | Thousands of people have been injured in the past week but medical centres are overwhelmed and under-equipped to treat the influx of patients - the fighting has left 70% of hospitals in conflict zones out of service, according to the Sudan Doctors' Trade Union. |
| Along with Khartoum, the western region of Darfur, where the RSF first emerged, has also been badly affected by the fighting. | Along with Khartoum, the western region of Darfur, where the RSF first emerged, has also been badly affected by the fighting. |
| "The situation is catastrophic - the majority of the wounded are civilians who were hit by stray bullets, and many of them are children," said a Médecins Sans Frontières worker at the only hospital still functioning in Fasher town, North Darfur state. | "The situation is catastrophic - the majority of the wounded are civilians who were hit by stray bullets, and many of them are children," said a Médecins Sans Frontières worker at the only hospital still functioning in Fasher town, North Darfur state. |
| The UN has warned that up to 20,000 people - mostly women and children - have fled Sudan to seek safety in Chad, across the border from Darfur. | The UN has warned that up to 20,000 people - mostly women and children - have fled Sudan to seek safety in Chad, across the border from Darfur. |
| Diplomatic pressure is being stepped up to end the fighting - with numerous countries and international bodies calling for an immediate ceasefire and offering to mediate. | Diplomatic pressure is being stepped up to end the fighting - with numerous countries and international bodies calling for an immediate ceasefire and offering to mediate. |
| Two previous attempted ceasefires failed to take effect. | Two previous attempted ceasefires failed to take effect. |
| US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday appealed to the warring military leaders separately to join a ceasefire at least until Sunday - warning of the risk to civilians as well as humanitarian and diplomatic workers. | US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday appealed to the warring military leaders separately to join a ceasefire at least until Sunday - warning of the risk to civilians as well as humanitarian and diplomatic workers. |
| A Sudanese army statement said Gen Burhan had received calls from the Turkish, South Sudanese and Ethiopian leaders, as well as Mr Blinken and the Saudi and Qatari foreign ministers. | A Sudanese army statement said Gen Burhan had received calls from the Turkish, South Sudanese and Ethiopian leaders, as well as Mr Blinken and the Saudi and Qatari foreign ministers. |
| However, in his first national TV address since the fighting started, on Friday morning, Gen Burhan did not mention a ceasefire. | However, in his first national TV address since the fighting started, on Friday morning, Gen Burhan did not mention a ceasefire. |
| Watch: Sheltering from fighter jets and gunfire around Khartoum airport | Watch: Sheltering from fighter jets and gunfire around Khartoum airport |
| Watch: Sheltering from fighter jets and gunfire around Khartoum airport | Watch: Sheltering from fighter jets and gunfire around Khartoum airport |
| Additional reporting by George Wright and Paul Adams | Additional reporting by George Wright and Paul Adams |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Sudan crisis | Sudan crisis |
| Sudan | Sudan |