Loud explosions echoed through Sudan's army-controlled capital of Khartoum early Friday, signalling fresh drone attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on key urban areas.
The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) intercepted the assaults, which targeted Omdurman in the greater Khartoum area and Atbara to the north, using air defense systems.
No casualties were reported from the strikes, which involved at least 15 drones aimed at Atbara in River Nile province, according to a military official speaking anonymously.
The incidents occurred just a day after the RSF expressed readiness to accept a truce proposal from the Quad, a mediator group including the United States, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
The proposal outlines a three-month humanitarian pause followed by a permanent ceasefire and a nine-month political process aimed at transitioning to civilian rule.
While the SAF has welcomed the initiative, it insists on the RSF's full withdrawal from civilian zones and surrender of weapons before any agreement.
The SAF's position reflects ongoing distrust, with a military official stating the army would only agree to a truce under those strict conditions from prior peace efforts.
Reporting from Khartoum indicated that both sides appear poised to continue hostilities until their demands are met, perpetuating a cycle of violence.
The war erupted in 2023 from tensions between SAF leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, former allies in a power-sharing arrangement post-2019 uprising.
It has claimed at least 40,000 lives, per World Health Organization figures, though aid groups estimate the toll could be far higher, with 12 million displaced and over 24 million facing acute food insecurity.
The RSF's truce acceptance follows its seizure of el-Fasher in Darfur more than a week ago, ending an 18-month siege and eliminating the last SAF stronghold in western Sudan.
That capture triggered reports of mass killings, sexual violence and looting, drawing global outrage and fears of escalating atrocities as fighting shifts eastward toward Khartoum and oil-rich Kordofan.
The United Nations Children's Fund reported Thursday that over 81,000 people have fled el-Fasher since late October, overwhelming needs for shelter, food, water and medical aid amid restricted deliveries.
More than 850 children identified with acute malnutrition are now in treatment, but violence, sexual assaults and health facility looting persist, disproportionately affecting women and children in North Darfur.
In response, the U.N. Human Rights Council announced an emergency special session on Sudan for November 14, initiated by Britain, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and Norway, with support from two dozen members.
The session addresses recent bloodshed and civilian abuses around el-Fasher, highlighting the conflict as the world's worst humanitarian disaster, per U.N. assessments.
Diplomatic efforts continue, including reported U.S. incentives for al-Burhan involving sanction relief and mining investments, though the path to de-escalation remains uncertain.