Clashes persist between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) as fighting continues in Khartoum and its outskirts. A fragile ceasefire that had been agreed upon earlier gave way to renewed hostilities, and negotiations between the two sides have repeatedly stalled amid ongoing violations of the truce.
Eyewitness accounts from Khartoum indicate the sounds of heavy artillery and shelling reverberating through the capital, with similar reports from Khartoum North and the southern district of Omdurman where the RSF maintains its principal garrisons. The atmosphere remains tense as the echoes of distant barrages mix with the urban landscape, underscoring the precarious security situation for residents and aid workers alike.
Air activity intensified as warplanes conducted flights over the eastern Nile river region, where some troops are stationed. Both sides have accused each other of targeting positions in violation of the latest ceasefire reached on May 20, a paragraph of the accord that was expected to hold only through Saturday afternoon but did not survive the pressure of continued clashes.
Despite a pattern of repeated ceasefires and formal commitments to allow lifesaving aid and to safeguard civilian populations, the violence has persisted since the outbreak of hostilities on April 15. Humanitarian access remains severely restricted, preventing relief teams from reaching the most affected communities and complicating efforts to evacuate the injured and safeguard vulnerable residents.
Saudi Arabia and the United States, which helped broker the talks between the Army and RSF representatives in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, halted negotiations on Thursday after multiple breaches of the ceasefire were reported. The pause in dialogue came amid a surge in civilian casualties and growing international appeals for unimpeded humanitarian access and civilian protection, emphasizing that guarantees for safety must be upheld.
On May 31, the Sudanese Armed Forces announced their withdrawal from the negotiating table, accusing the RSF of noncompliance with the ceasefire and the commitments previously agreed upon during the discussions. The move pointed to a deeper breakdown in the mediation process, raising questions about the prospects for durable arrangements in the near term.
Officials have stated that the suspension of talks does not automatically nullify the ceasefire, but it certainly complicates further efforts to extend or renew the cessation of hostilities. The lack of trust between the parties and the repeated violations have made consensus increasingly elusive, with each side blaming the other for ongoing aggression and indiscriminate shelling that affects dense urban areas and outskirts alike.
Current estimates from the United Nations place the death toll in the conflict at no fewer than 850 people, with more than 5,500 injured. The crisis has also driven displacement on a massive scale, with at least 1.3 million people uprooted within Sudan and seeking refuge abroad or in other regions, placing enormous strain on local resources and humanitarian networks that strive to deliver essential services under dangerous conditions.