No respite in Sudan, ceasefire broken and war between rivals

KHARTOUM: Terrified Sudanese who have been trapped for days in their homes by fighting in the capital of Khartoum fled on Wednesday, hauling out whatever belongings they could carry and trying to get out of the city, after an internationally brokered truce failed and rival forces battled in the streets for a fifth day.

The swift failure of the 24-hour cease-fire, despite pressure from the United States and regional powers, suggested that Sudan’s two top generals were determined to crush each other in a potentially prolonged fight for control of the country. It also underscored the inability of the international community to force a stop to the violence, with millions of people caught in the crossfire.

As explosions and heavy gunfire shook Khartoum, residents of multiple neighborhoods told The Associated Press they could see hundreds, including women and children, leaving their homes, carrying luggage, some leaving by foot, others crowding into vehicles.