Sudan: Clashes continue despite Jeddah Declaration signing

Clashes continued on Friday between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces in several areas of the capital, Khartoum, and the city of Al-Junayna, in the state of West Darfur, despite the signing of a declaration of principles in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday evening.

Eyewitnesses told Anadolu Agency that strong clashes occurred south of Khartoum, in the city of Bahri, north of Khartoum and the city of Omdurman, west of the capital.

Witnesses added that military aircraft flew over areas in Bahri, north and south of Khartoum.

According to witnesses, the sounds of artillery and gunfire were also heard in the eastern neighbourhoods of the Nile.

Earlier on Friday, Saudi Arabia announced the continuation of the Jeddah talks between the two parties to the conflict in Sudan, intending to reach a ceasefire agreement between them for around ten days under US-Saudi mediation, as well as other discussions for a permanent settlement.

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This came after it disclosed that representatives from the army and Rapid Support Forces had signed a declaration of initial principles in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Thursday, requiring them to protect civilians and end the fighting ongoing since mid-April.

According to local media and activists, clashes broke out in the city of Al-Junayna on Friday. Darfur 24 reported: “On Friday, gunmen from Arab tribes launched a large-scale attack on the city of Al-Junayna, the capital of West Darfur state.”

Activists from the West Darfur state shared in a statement: “The Rapid Support Forces stormed the city of Al-Junayna on Friday, with all heavy and light weapons from all four directions of the city, and dozens were wounded (..) and we could not count them until now due to the ongoing the clashes.”

On 27 April, the Sudan Doctors Syndicate announced that dozens of people were killed and injured due to the violence in the city of Al-Junayna.

On 26 April, at least 90 people were killed during three days of violent fighting in Al-Junayna between the army and the Rapid Support Forces. This turned into a conflict between the Masalit tribe and Arab tribes in which heavy weapons were used, according to local media. On the same day, the United Nations expressed its concern about looting and violence in Al-Junayna.

Since 15 April, major clashes broke out in a number of Sudanese cities, including Al-Junayna, between the army led by Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces led by Muhammad Hamdan Dagalo “Hemetti”, killing hundreds of people, mostly civilians.

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