Deadly battles between Sudan’s army and a rival paramilitary group spread across the country during a second day of violence, with fatalities rising to at least 56 amid fears of a full-blown civil war.
Intense fighting took place at the military’s headquarters in the capital, Khartoum, causing parts of the building to catch fire, the army said in a statement Sunday. There were also clashes in el-Fasher in the western region of Darfur over control of the airport, people briefed on the matter said. Further skirmishes took place in Blue Nile state near the border with Ethiopia and in Port Sudan, a key trading zone and crucial conduit for the export of oil from South Sudan.
The United Nations said the two sides agreed to a temporary pause in fighting — from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. local time — on humanitarian grounds on Sunday afternoon. However, it was unclear if the cease-fire is being implemented amid ongoing reports of shooting in the capital as of 5:30 p.m.
