Sudan: UN food agency resumes operations

The UN's World Food Program (WFP) said it lifted a suspension of operations since the deaths of three of its members in Sudan.

The agency's executive director, Cindy McCain, announced the resumption of aid operations on Twitter and said the change to operational status would be effective immediately.

"WFP is rapidly resuming our programs to provide the life-saving assistance that many so desperately need right now," McCain tweeted. 

The WFP workers were killed during violence in Kabkabiya on April 15 in North Darfur which resulted in the WFP suspending all operations in Sudan.

The WFP has warned that the fighting between the country's military and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group could plunge the region into a humanitarian crisis.

A power struggle is taking place between Sudan's de facto leader, army chief Abdel Fattah Burhan, and his former deputy Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who commands the RSF.

On Sunday, the paramilitary unit said it had agreed to extend a humanitarian truce for another three days, to allow the opening of humanitarian corridors and allow Sudanese and foreign nationals to reach safe areas.

Here are other key headlines about the crisis in Sudan for Monday, May 1:

US evacuation ship arrives in Saudi Arabia

A US-operated rescue ship carrying 300 civilians fleeing Sudan arrived in Saudi Arabia Monday. 

More than 5,000 people have fled to Saudi Arabia since widespread fighting engulfed Sudan on April 15. Officials say a total of 308 individuals were on the vessel when it arrived, among them, 105 US citizens and some 105 Sudanese. The remaining evacuees came from 15 different countries.

The US State Department said it had helped organize two overland convoys and that it had been able to help almost 1,000 Americans leave the country. So far, fighting in Sudan has killed more than 500 people and displaced tens of thousands. 

UN envoy says Sudan's warring sides agree to negotiate — report

The UN's envoy to Sudan, Volke Perthes said the country's warring generals have agreed to send representatives for negotiations, AP news agency reported.

AP cited Perthes as having said that the talks would initially focus on establishing a "stable and reliable" cease-fire monitored by "national and international" observers.

According to AP, Perthes said that logistical arrangements for the talks were still being worked out.

Reports of fighting in Sudan's capital

Reuters news agency reported that fighting could be heard in Khartoum early on Monday, despite there being a renewed cease-fire between Sudan's army and the paramilitary RSF.

Both sides have accused one another of violating the truce, which was renewed at midnight for another three days.

According to Sudan's Health Ministry, fighting has killed at least 528 people and wounded 4,599, while forcing tens of thousands of people to flee the country.

In Khartoum, the army has been fighting RSF forces who have entrenched themselves in residential areas and launching airstrikes targeting them, according to Reuters. 

UK to operate extra evacuation flight

British authorities on Sunday said another evacuation flight would take place following the official end of its evacuation mission in Sudan.

The UK's Foreign Office said that a military aircraft would be flying from the coastal city of Port Sudan on Monday.

To date, 2,122 people have been flown out on 23 flights from the Wadi Saeedna airfield near the capital Khartoum.

"We continue to do everything in our power to secure a long-term ceasefire, a stable transition to civilian rule and an end the violence in Sudan," Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said.

kb/fb (Reuters, dpa, AFP)