Ceasefire
The 72-hour ceasefire brokered is already struggling to hold after the regular army launched renewed air strikes against rival paramilitary forces in the capital Khartoum late on Tuesday.
Anti-aircraft guns fired at fighter jets in the skies over Khartoum's sister city of Omdurman, and armed clashes meanwhile continued in Soba on the outskirts of Khartoum, witnesses said.
“There is a sense of calm in my area and neighborhoods,” said Mahasen Ali, a tea vendor who lives in Khartoum’s southern neighborhood of May.
“But all are afraid of what’s next.” She said that despite the relative lull, the sound of gunfire and explosions could still be heard in the city.
The UN has said that the ceasefire in Sudan "seems to be holding in some parts so far," but there is not sign that the warring parties are ready to "seriously negotiate, suggesting that both think that securing a military victory over the other is possible".
The escape of leading figures from the ousted regime of Omar al Bashir, at least one of whom is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur, has raised fears the conflict may take a turn for the worse.
Evacuation
As combat eased a little, foreign governments have been organising road convoys, aircraft and ships to get thousands of their nationals and foreigners out.
A boat carrying nearly 1,700 civilians from more than 50 countries arrived in Saudi Arabia, the kingdom's foreign ministry said.
It added that it has evacuated 2,148 people, including more than 2,000 foreigners.
A British military transport plane landed in Cyprus.
Nearly 200 Turkish citizens who were evacuated from Sudan via Ethiopia arrived in Istanbul.
A Turkish Airlines plane, which took off from Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa with 189 passengers on board, landed at Istanbul Airport at 1.10 a.m. local time (2210GMT).
And German Defense Ministry has said that total of 700 people have been evacuated from Sudan.
Efforts for permanent ceasefire
Vedant Patel, a spokesperson for the US State Department, has stated that the US is taking the initiative to stop the violence in Sudan.
According to Patel, American diplomats are actively working with all parties involved to extend the ceasefire and establish a long-term resolution, which would pave the way for civilian rule.
Molly Phee, the highest-ranking US diplomat for Africa, and John Godfrey, the US ambassador to Sudan who was evacuated, have been engaging in comprehensive negotiations with the two generals, in collaboration with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
