ABOUT a million people have been displaced in Sudan by the ongoing conflict between rival miltary factions, the United Nations said today.

Despite an agreement between the army and the Rapid Support Forces to protect civilians, continued fighting has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes to seek safety in other parts of the country.

The warring factions were blaming each other for the plight of civilians even as envoys from each side were set to meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to plan the withdrawal of combatants from populated areas.

That seems highly unlikely to happen, given that the RSF is deeply entrenched in neighbourhoods across the capital.

Meanwhile, General Abdel Fattah Burhan has ordered the freezing of all bank accounts belonging to the head of the RSF, General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, as well as the accounts of all companies owned by the group, the state-run news agency Suna reported.

General Burhanhas also announced the replacement of the Central Bank’s governor. 

Over the past decade, the RSF has amassed great wealth through the gradual acquisition of Sudanese financial institutions and gold reserves.

Since mid-April, the two sides have been locked in a violent power struggle that has killed at least 700 people and wounded thousands.