Sudan crisis drives growing exodus as warring generals said to agree "in principle" to 7-day truce

South Sudan's government said Tuesday that the two generals tearing neighboring Sudan apart as they battle for control of the country had agreed "in principle" to a seven-day ceasefire beginning on Thursday, May 4. According to a statement released by South Sudan's Foreign Ministry, the commanders of both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the country's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group agreed to name representatives to peace talks as part of the deal.

The news may spark hope of a more widespread and durable halt to the violence that has plagued Sudan since the commanders — former allies who jointly derailed their country's tentative steps toward democracy by colluding in a 2019 coup — started battling each other on April 15.