The planned ceasefire in Khartoum, Sudan has been shattered by the sound of heavy gunfire and warplanes, as clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group persist.
The ceasefire, which was set to begin at 18:00 (16:00 GMT), was already compromised by fighting around the army headquarters by the airport in the city center. Although two rival generals agreed to a 24-hour humanitarian pause, nearly 200 people have been killed since the violence began on Saturday.
Residents are now struggling with scarce food and water supplies amidst ongoing fighting. Despite hopes for a possible ceasefire, the UN Secretary General’s spokesperson stated that there are no indications of a real decline in the fighting in Sudan, including Khartoum and various other locations.
In fact, earlier on the same day, a woman residing in Khartoum reported to the BBC that she had no more drinking water left in her home.
Duaa Tariq said only one bottle remained, which she was saving for her two-year-old child, as her family crammed into a “tiny corridor” to avoid gunfire.
“Most of the people [that] died, died in their houses with random bullets and missiles, so it’s better to avoid exposed places in the house” like windows, Ms. Tariq said.
At the University of Khartoum, a student was killed after being hit by a stray bullet.
“We were going to get food for the rest of the students,” law student Mosaab Sharif, who is sheltering in a building near the campus, told the BBC.
A Facebook post, verified by the BBC, said the body had been buried on campus after safe passage off-site could not be secured.
“There were three of us, and then he was hit in the chest. We couldn’t even help him. As we were burying our colleague, one of us was hit with a bullet in his hand,” Mr. Sharif added.
He said that “snipers have been targeting anyone with flashlights”.