Sudan's paramilitary forces announce release of 100 army prisoners

 KHARTOUM, June 27 (Xinhua) 

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Tuesday announced the release of 100 army prisoners before the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, despite continued clashes in the capital Khartoum.

   "In consideration of and respect for the human rights law, the Rapid Support Forces Command decided to release 100 prisoners of the coup forces," the RSF said in a statement.

  The decision came in consideration of the Eid holiday circumstances and for humanitarian purposes, it added.

 The RSF Commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo announced on Monday a two-day "unilateral cease-fire" ahead of the festival, to which the army has not yet responded.

 However, the truce failed to stop the bloodshed in various areas of Khartoum.

  Eyewitnesses said that the RSF on Tuesday targeted two strategic military bases of the army, including the base of the Armored Corps in southern Khartoum and the headquarters of the Engineers Corps in western Omdurman.

 The army responded by launching airstrikes against the RSF positions near the headquarters of the central reserve police forces in southern Khartoum, which the RSF seized two days ago, the eyewitnesses added.

   Sudan has been witnessing deadly armed clashes between the army and the RSF in Khartoum and other areas since April 15, which have left over 3,000 people killed and more than 6,000 others injured, according to the Sudanese Health Ministry.

  About 2.5 million people have been displaced inside and outside of Sudan since the conflict broke out, according to an update from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs last week.