Clashes Heard in Sudan’s Capital as Eid Holiday Begins

Sudanese soldiers in Sudan's capital, Khartoum - File/AFP
Sudanese soldiers in Sudan's capital, Khartoum - File/AFP
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Clashes Heard in Sudan’s Capital as Eid Holiday Begins

Sudanese soldiers in Sudan's capital, Khartoum - File/AFP
Sudanese soldiers in Sudan's capital, Khartoum - File/AFP

Artillery fire and clashes could be heard on Tuesday in parts of Sudan's capital, residents said, despite a unilateral ceasefire declared by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.  

RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, announced a truce for Tuesday and Wednesday in an audio message after his forces took control of a major police base in southern Khartoum where it seized dozens of vehicles and large stocks of ammunition.  

The army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Multiple ceasefire deals and announcements have failed to stick since fighting between the army and the RSF erupted in mid-April, including several brokered by Saudi Arabia and the United States at talks in Jeddah that were suspended last week.

The war has brought widespread destruction and looting to Khartoum and has triggered unrest in other parts of Sudan, especially in the western region of Darfur where attacks and ethnic violence spread.  

The RSF has been widely blamed for looting and occupying civilian buildings across Khartoum, while the army has tried to push the paramilitary force back with air strikes and heavy artillery.  

In his audio message, Hemedti said the RSF would establish a special committee under a senior commander to investigate violations, which would be treated "with severity and seriousness".  

"We affirm clearly that our long-time position is that we reject and we condemn any violations committed against citizens," he said.  

Almost 2.8 million people have been uprooted by the fighting, with more than 2.15 million internally displaced and nearly 650,000 fleeing into neighboring countries, according to estimates from the International Organization for Migration published on Tuesday.  

Residents say those fleeing attacks by militias and the RSF in the Darfur city of El Geneina have been killed or shot at as they try to reach Chad by foot.  

A senior UN refugee agency official said on Tuesday that many women and children had been arriving in Chad with injuries.



Lebanon’s Berri: Resolution 1701 Stands Unchanged

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with US envoy Amos Hochstein during his recent visit to Beirut (AFP)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with US envoy Amos Hochstein during his recent visit to Beirut (AFP)
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Lebanon’s Berri: Resolution 1701 Stands Unchanged

Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with US envoy Amos Hochstein during his recent visit to Beirut (AFP)
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri meets with US envoy Amos Hochstein during his recent visit to Beirut (AFP)

Lebanon is monitoring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s response to US President Joe Biden’s push for a ceasefire in southern Lebanon.

Biden has sent advisors Amos Hochstein and Brett McGurk to Tel Aviv to discuss the matter with Netanyahu, marking what Lebanese officials see as the last chance for progress before the US presidential election on Nov. 5.

Lebanese leaders, including Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, are cautious about predicting results.

Mikati did not comment after his recent meetings with US advisors.

However, Berri highlighted Lebanon’s prior agreement with Hochstein to a ceasefire, deploying the Lebanese army in the south, and enforcing UN Resolution 1701.

Berri reaffirmed that Lebanon won’t alter these terms, saying, “What’s agreed is agreed; Resolution 1701 stands unchanged.”

The speaker clarified that Lebanon has fulfilled its commitments and is now waiting for Netanyahu’s response, noting that Lebanon is ready to implement the ceasefire if Hochstein can secure Netanyahu’s agreement.

“The ball is now in Netanyahu’s court,” Berri said, pointing out that Netanyahu has previously agreed to and then withdrawn from ceasefire deals.

According to sources, Hezbollah is fully behind Berri’s mandate for a ceasefire.

Hezbollah’s newly appointed Secretary-General, Sheikh Naim Qassem, recently confirmed the party’s support.

Qassem is closely following developments with the party’s military leadership, while Hezbollah’s MPs continue discussions with other blocs to clarify their position.

Lebanese sources stressed that reaching a ceasefire is critical and must happen as soon as possible, asserting that Netanyahu should not leverage the situation in Gaza as a pretext to avoid a southern ceasefire.

As Biden’s envoys prepare to meet with Netanyahu, Lebanese officials remain focused on whether this effort will result in an agreement.

The ongoing clashes near the southern Lebanese town of Khiam, where Hezbollah is actively resisting Israeli advances, have intensified the situation, making the outcome of these discussions crucial.