Saudi Arabia and the United States have successfully mediated a temporary ceasefire between the conflicting factions in Sudan, which is set to last for seven days.

Army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, representing the warring parties, signed the agreement in Jeddah.

The ceasefire is scheduled to begin on Monday night at 21:45 local time and will automatically renew until a permanent ceasefire is achieved through discussions on confidence-building measures and enhanced humanitarian services for the Sudanese people.

Despite the announcement of previous ceasefires during the five weeks of fighting, many have been promptly disregarded.

Even after this latest ceasefire declaration, Khartoum experienced airstrikes, artillery exchanges, and an attack on the Qatari embassy.

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The ongoing conflict has claimed the lives of hundreds, primarily civilians, and has displaced over a million people. Sudan’s humanitarian situation, already precarious with one in three people dependent on aid before the fighting, continues to worsen.

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, expressed hope that the agreement would bring relief to the Sudanese people, particularly in Khartoum, allowing them to access essential services during the seven-day ceasefire.

However, it is essential to note that the previous commitment to respect humanitarian principles and facilitate aid delivery has been violated, as acknowledged by UN aid chief Martin Griffiths.

The ceasefire announcement follows discussions that began in Jeddah two weeks ago among the warring generals but fell short of a comprehensive ceasefire agreement.