As foreign states wind down their evacuations from Sudan, the UN warned of a humanitarian breaking point with no let up in fighting between rival military factions despite a supposed ceasefire extension.

Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands wounded over 16 days of battles since disputes between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted into conflict on April 15.

There seems little prospect of a quick resolution to the crisis, which has unleashed a humanitarian disaster, damaged swathes of the capital Khartoum, risked drawingin regional powers and reignited a conflict in the Darfur region.

Both sides agreed on Sunday to extend a much-violated truce by 72 hours and the UN told Reuters they may hold truce talks in Saudi Arabia, but air strikes and artillery rang out on Monday as smoke hung over Khartoum and neighbouring cities.

Sudanese who ventured out said the city was transformed.

“We saw dead bodies. The industrial area was all looted. We saw people carrying TVs on their backs and big sacks looted from factories,” said Mohamed Ezzeldin, who had fled Khartoum but returned because the influx of displaced people had made costs too high elsewhere.

Many fear for their lives in a nationwide power struggle between the army chief and RSF head, who had shared control of the government after a 2021 coup but fell out over a planned transition back to civilian rule.

Tens of thousands of Sudanese have fled their homes, some congregating in hubs like Atbara northeast of Khartoum while they work out their plans or head for the borders with Egypt or Chad.

Foreign governments have pulled out their citizens over the past week in a series of operations by air, sea and land, though several countries have announced an end to those efforts.

Those remaining face hardship and danger.

“I show up to work for two or three hours then I close up because it’s not safe,” said Abdelbagi, a barber in Khartoum who said he had to keep working as prices were rising.

AP/PTI