Khartoum — The latest ceasefire aimed at ending the devastating conflict that erupted in Sudan on April 15 between Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) appears to be holding as the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, and other states reported a 'relative calm' during the first day of the 72-hour ceasefire that started at 06:00 today.

As previously reported by Radio Dabanga, the facilitators warned warring parties that if the truce does not hold, they will be compelled to consider adjourning the Jeddah talks.

On Monday the UN, Egypt, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the African Union, and the European Union will convene a high-level pledging summit in Geneva to support the humanitarian response in Sudan and the region.

The UN Spokesman for the Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric, said in a briefing on June 7 that the revised humanitarian response plan for Sudan is less than 16 per cent funded. "Of the $2.6 billion required for this year's response, we have received just over $400 million."

"With a ceasefire or not, we will continue to deliver but we need an end to the violence and we need an end to the looting of humanitarian facilities, which is completely unconscionable," Dujarric added.

Deaths as ceasfire aproached

The Southern Emergency Room said in a statement yesterday that 17 people were killed including children, and 25 houses were destroyed in Mayo neighbourhood by an airstrike that targeted locations of the RSF.

Callers from Khartoum told Radio Dabanga that four siblings were killed on Friday in the El Kadsiya neighborhood in Sharg El Nil, after their house was shelled. In Omdurman eight people were also reportedly killed.