The ceasefire in Sudan is collapsing. Airstrikes have intensified in the African country’s capital, Khartoum, despite a ceasefire meant to allow civilians to escape.

The Sudanese army announced it was attacking the city to drive out its paramilitary rivals, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The latest truce was due to expire at midnight on Sunday.

The RSF said earlier that the ceasefire had been extended for another three days, starting at midnight on Sunday until Monday. More than 500 dead have been officially reported in the clashes, and thousands have been injured, but the actual death toll is believed to be much higher.

Millions of people remain trapped in Khartoum. Army chief General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and RSF chief General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo are vying for power – and are at odds over plans to integrate the RSF into the army. The warring sides agreed to a humanitarian truce after intensive diplomatic efforts by neighboring African countries, the US, the UK and the UN. It was extended, but it didn’t last. There is little indication that the military will honor the new extension announced by the RSF on Sunday.

Testimony

On Sunday, the Sudanese military said it was conducting operations against RSF troops north of the city center. Hamid Halafala, of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, is one of those who could not escape. “When there’s really heavy shelling and it’s coming, we take refuge in the house, we try to all go into one central room, away from windows, away from walls and so on, and just lie on the floor until it passes. When it’s a little further away, we try to use the quiet hours we have – a few hours a day – to quickly go out and get what we need, which it is also very dangerous, but we have to do it.”