Sudan’s warring sides begin cease-fire ahead of conference to raise funds for humanitarian aid

By SAMY MAGDY
Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Sudan’s warring parties have begun another attempt at a cease-fire after more than two months of brutal fighting — and ahead of an international conference to raise funds for humanitarian assistance. Residents in the capital, Khartoum, and its neighboring city of Omdurman reported “relative calm” in the first hours of the cease-fire Sunday morning, after fierce clashes were reported the previous day. Sudan descended into chaos after fighting erupted in mid-April between the military, led by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. The three-day truce that began Sunday came ahead of a pledging conference the U.N. and other nations will hold Monday to raise funds to cover Sudan’s humanitarian needs.