Sudan military gov. freezes bank accounts of rebels

• 

Sudan's military junta presided by General Abdul Fattah Burhan has reportedly frozen the bank accounts of Rapid Support Forces rebels which have been locked in conflict with the army since mid-April. 

"Abdul Fattah Burhan decided today to freeze the accounts of the rebel Rapid Support Forces and their companies in all Sudanese banks and their branches abroad," the authorities said. 

Read more: Sudan: A borderless conflict

Back in April, clashes broke out after weeks of tension between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Though the two groups were once allies, tensions have been brewing since the proposed integration of the RSF into the military. 

Yesterday, fighter jets targeted points in Khartoum as representatives of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) meet in Saudi Arabia to prevent a "humanitarian catastrophe" after the war between the two sides threatened civilians.

A witness said that SAF jets targeted the RSF in west Khartoum as guerilla fighting among heavily populated areas in the country closes to a full month. So far, the war has killed more than 750 people while hundreds of thousands have been internally displaced or forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries.

In Khartoum, estimates reveal that more than 500,000 people have escaped from the capital as hospitals have been shelled and residents suffer from food, medicine, and electricity shortage making living conditions in the city extremely difficult. 

Hopes of a cease-fire are slim

The warring parties in Sudan signed Thursday a humanitarian commitment as the country gets taken by storm in light of the battles, although they were unable to reach a truce, as the SAF has previously stated that it will not tolerate the presence of RSF after April's events. 

"This is not a ceasefire. This is an affirmation of their obligations under international humanitarian law, particularly with regard to the treatment of civilians and the need to create space for humanitarians to operate," one official said. 

A Saudi official said Wednesday that the ceasefire talks between the warring parties yielded "no major progress," diminishing hopes for a swift end to the clashes, as loud explosions again rocked greater Khartoum on Wednesday, with fighting between Sudan's warring generals showing no let-up.

Read more: Clashes rock Khartoum again after failed sixth Sudan truce