(MENAFN- The Peninsula) AFP
Khartoum: A one-week ceasefire between Sudan's army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces officially went into force at 9:45 pm (1945 GMT) on Monday.
Multiple truces have been announced and breached during five weeks of fighting but the United States and Saudi Arabia, which brokered the deal, have said this one was "signed by the parties" and will be supported by a "ceasefire monitoring mechanism".
There had been an absence of signals on the ground, however, that fighters intended to honour the truce as battles continued on Monday.
The two sides on Sunday affirmed that they would respect the ceasefire, which was welcomed by the United Nations, African Union and East African bloc IGAD.
Desperate residents voiced hope that the new agreement would stem the brutal warfare that has shaken the capital Khartoum and other parts of the impoverished country, particularly the western Darfur region.
Fighting erupted on April 15 between the army, led by Sudan's de facto leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces commanded by Burhan's former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo.
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