An immense explosion near Sudan’s army headquarters was felt across Khartoum on Thursday, according to locals.
Even though the warring generals in Sudan's conflict made separate unilateral truces for the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha holiday, huge columns of smoke rose from the area of the military complex. The source of the explosion remained unclear.
People more than 4 miles from the blast “felt the tremor in their walls,” one resident told Agence France-Presse.
It also has not been confirmed whether the explosion caused any casualties.
Also on Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross said it facilitated the release of 125 Sudanese soldiers who were held by the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
The ICRC statement said 44 of the freed soldiers had been wounded and that the agency determined they were fit to travel along with the rest of the group from Khartoum to the city of Wad Madani.
"This positive step means that families will be celebrating Eid-al Adha with their loved ones. We stand ready to act as a neutral intermediary for the release of detainees from all sides to the conflict whenever requested," Jean Christophe Sandoz, ICRC's head of delegation in Sudan, said in a statement.
The ICRC said Wednesday’s release followed another on Monday involving 14 wounded people who had been detained in the Darfur region.
Fighting between the Sudanese military and the RSF broke out in mid-April, and the country’s health ministry said the conflict has killed more than 3,000 people.
Multiple cease-fires between the two sides have failed.
Some information for this report came from The Associated Press.
