Sudan updates: US brokers 72-hour truce in 'intense' talks

Sudan's warring army and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group have agreed to a 72-hour cease-fire, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Monday evening.

"Following intense negotiation over the past 48 hours, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to implement a nationwide cease-fire starting at midnight on April 24, to last for 72 hours," Blinken said. 

Nine days of fighting has seen at least three cease-fire agreements announced. None were fully upheld.

However, a relative lull in fighting during the weekend allowed various evacuation operations to take off, via land, sea and air.

Blinken said that the US would coordinate with regional and international partners, as well as Sudanese civilian stakeholders "to support a durable end to the fighting."

The coordination would help create a committee to oversee a permanent cease-fire agreement, as well as humanitarian arrangements in the country.

"We will continue to work with the Sudanese parties and our partners toward the shared goal of a return to civilian government in Sudan," Blinken said. 

The RSF said the cease-fire would clear the way for humanitarian passages and facilitate civilians' movement to safe areas and hospitals. It would also help with the evacuation of diplomatic missions.

The paramilitary group vowed to abide by the cease-fire and warned against the other party's "continuous violations of the truce."