Fierce fighting broke out today across Omdurman, west of Sudan’s greater capital, as the army tried to cut off supply routes used by rivals, paramilitary forces to bring reinforcements to the city.

The army unleashed airstrikes and artillery strikes while in many parts of Omdurman there are battles, according to eyewitnesses. The paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF) said it shot down a fighter jet, and residents posted images that appeared to show the pilots ejecting from the aircraft. There was no immediate comment from the military.

Clashes between the army and DTY erupted on April 15, with daily fighting raging in the capital, ethnically motivated killings in the western Darfur region and Sudan threatened with a protracted civil war.

The DTY quickly took control of parts of the capital and brought in additional fighters from Darfur and Kordofan as the conflict escalated, ferrying them across bridges from Omdurman to Bahri and Khartoum, the two other cities in the greater capital region.

Residents said today’s clashes in Omdurman were the heaviest in weeks, and that while the army was trying to gain ground, it was also repelling a DTY attack on a police base.

“There is very heavy shelling for hours, airstrikes, artillery fire and bullets. It’s the first time for us that there are continuous hits at this level from every direction.” said Manahel Abbas, 33, a resident of Omdurman.

Saudi Arabia and the US brokered several ceasefire deals at talks in Jeddah that were suspended last month after both sides violated the ceasefire.

Nearly 2.8 million people have been forced to flee their homes since the conflict began in mid-April, including nearly 650,000 who have fled to neighboring countries, according to UN figures.