Following months of devastating conflict, a flicker of hope emerges from Sudan’s darkness as opposing factions consent to a fragile ceasefire extension. Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, leading the military, and his adversary, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, have agreed to a five-day ceasefire extension amidst a climate of volatility.

International Mediation and Ceasefire Extension

Esteemed international peacekeepers, the United States and Saudi Arabia, facilitated the ceasefire extension. Expressing their growing frustration over continual ceasefire infractions, both nations brought this news to the world late Monday after citing explicit violations of the week-long peace, initially set to end that same evening. The extension seeks to pave the way for expanded humanitarian aid, re-establishing vital services, and negotiating a potential long-standing ceasefire.

Casualties and Displacement: The Human Cost of Conflict

Since the crisis erupted in mid-April, Sudan has been in a state of unrest, recording approximately 866 civilian deaths and thousands injured, per the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate. However, actual casualty figures may paint a more harrowing picture. This power struggle has turned Khartoum, the capital, and other urban zones into battlefields, driving close to 1.4 million people to find sanctuary in safer areas within Sudan or neighboring countries.

The conflict has brought about widespread devastation in the residential regions of Khartoum and the nearby cities of Omdurman and Bahri. Civilians have reported invading and pillaging their homes, primarily by paramilitary troops. Moreover, incidents of aid offices, healthcare facilities, and other civilian infrastructures being attacked and looted have been brought to light.

Horrifying accounts of sexual violence, including assaults on women and girls, have surfaced from Khartoum and the western Darfur region, witnessing some of the fiercest fighting in the conflict. Almost all reported cases of sexual attacks have been tied to the RSF, which has maintained silence despite repeated comment requests.

Ceasefire’s Limited Respite and Ongoing Struggles

The five-day truce extension has brought a short-lived relief from severe combat, although sporadic skirmishes and airstrikes continue. These recurring conflicts have hindered the vital delivery of humanitarian assistance. The United Nations foresees a million people fleeing Sudan by October, an estimate that could be a conservative figure given the enduring crisis. Over 350,000 people have already sought refuge in neighboring nations, predominantly in Egypt, Chad, and South Sudan.

Khartoum is grappling with the aftermath of factories, offices, homes, and banks being looted or obliterated. In addition, the city struggles with intermittent power, water, telecommunication cuts, acute medicine and medical equipment shortages, and dwindling food supplies. Amid the unrest, Sudan’s largest orphanage has witnessed numerous infant deaths, primarily due to staff shortages and recurrent power outages instigated by the conflict.