Residents in the army-controlled capital said they were woken by the sound of drones and blasts near a military base and power station early Friday. Similar attacks were also reported in Atbara, 300 km north of Khartoum, where anti-aircraft defences shot down drones, causing fires in the city.
The Sudanese army has expressed distrust in the RSF’s ceasefire pledge, accusing the group of repeatedly violating previous truces to gain new territory. Sudan’s ambassador to South Africa, Osman Abufatima Adam Mohammed, said the government was not ready to agree to the new plan, citing past experiences.
The Sudanese government continues to oppose the UAE’s participation in mediation efforts, alleging the Gulf state is arming the RSF, a claim denied by the UAE. UN experts have described such accusations as credible.
The civil war, now in its third year, has killed at least 150,000 people and displaced over 12 million since April 2023. The RSF’s capture of el-Fasher, after an 18-month siege, has consolidated its control over much of Darfur, but also brought international condemnation for alleged mass killings and sexual violence, which the RSF denies.