Fighting in Khartoum continues despite hopes of three-day Eid truce

Gunfire continued in Khartoum on Saturday morning after Sudan's top general, Abdel Fattah Burhan, declared the military's commitment to a civilian-led government.

During the night, the loud explosions that had rocked the capital Khartoum in recent days subsided, but by morning the gunfire had resumed. Burhan's forces are battling a rival paramilitary group in a bloody power struggle, hindering hopes for the country's democratic transition.

Speaking on the Muslim Eid ul-Fitr festival, marking the end of Ramadan, General Abdel Fattah Burhan insisted the military would prevail and secure the nation's “safe transition to civilian rule.”

However, only 18 months ago he joined forces with his current rival to seize power in a military coup.

Both sides later issued statements saying they had agreed on a three-day truce to allow people to celebrate but gunfire continued just hours afterwards.  

Khartoum has seen some of the fiercest fighting, with air strikes, tanks in the streets and gunfire in densely populated areas but violence has exploded across the country.

On Friday, the US State Department said the situation was still too risky to allow the evacuation of embassy staff. 

Immediately, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who is deputy head of state and operates the Rapid Support Forces [RSF], battling forces loyal to Gen. Burhan, replied that they were "ready to open all airports in Sudan" so "friendly countries wanting to evacuate their nationals" could do so.