Sudan's army agrees to extend current truce for 72 hours

By Ikram Kouachi

ANKARA (AA) – Sudan's army agreed on Thursday to extend the humanitarian truce with the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group for 72 more hours starting from the end of the previous truce.

“The leadership of the armed forces agreed to extend the truce for an additional period of 72 hours, taking effect from the end of the current truce,” the armed forces said in a statement.

In the statement, the armed forces stressed that “the rebels must abide by the requirements of the truce this time.”

The army accused the RSF of “attacking military institutions and sites of the armed forces, sabotaging vital facilities, and endangering the lives of citizens.”

At least 460 people have been killed and more than 4,000 injured in clashes between the army and RSF since April 15, according to the Sudanese Health Ministry.

A disagreement had been fomenting in recent months between the army and paramilitaries concerning military security reform.

The reform envisages full RSF participation in the military – one of the main issues in negotiations with international and regional parties for a transition to civilian, democratic rule.

Sudan has been without a functioning government since October 2021, when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government and declared a state of emergency in what political forces called a "coup."