Sudan's warring parties agree to 72-hour ceasefire

Khartoum: Sudan's armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to a new 72-hour ceasefire from Sunday, hours after the air strike.

The ceasefire will start on June 18 at 6 am and will end until June 21. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry tweeted, "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America announce that representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire across Sudan beginning on June 18 at 6:00 a.m. Khartoum time until June 21."

Saudi Arabia also released a joint statement with the US reading, "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America announce that representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to a 72-hour ceasefire across Sudan beginning on June 18 at 6:oo a.m. Khartoum time until June 21."

The parties agreed that during the ceasefire they will refrain from prohibited movements, attacks, use of military aircraft or drones, artillery strikes, reinforcement of positions and resupply of forces, and will refrain from seeking military advantage during the ceasefire. They also agreed to allow the unimpeded movement and delivery of humanitarian assistance throughout the country," it added.

The statement further stated that in light of the June 19 humanitarian donors conference, the facilitators called on the parties to consider the immense suffering of the Sudanese people and to adhere fully to this ceasefire and cease the severity of violence. Should the parties fail to observe the iv-hour ceasefire, facilitators will be compelled to consider adjourning the Jeddah talks.

Earlier on Saturday, an air attack in Sudan's capital Khartoum killed 17 people, including 5 children, as fighting continued between rival generals seeking to control Sudan, reported Al Jazeera.

The fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary RSF, seeking to control the country, is entering the third month.

The bombings hit the Yarmouk neighbourhood in southern Khartoum, where clashes have centred in recent weeks, according to Sudan's health ministry.

According to the ministry's Facebook post, a number of injured civilians were taken to hospital for the treatment. In the strike, 25 houses were destroyed, according to Al Jazeera.

The dead included five children and an unknown number of women and elderly people, the ministry added, referring to the Yarmouk attack as a "massacre".