Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Battles Rage in Khartoum as Sudan's Rivals Ignore Cease-Fire by VOA News Battles raged in the streets of Sudan's capital for a fifth day Wednesday following the collapse of a cease-fire by the country's two warring factions. Loud explosions and gunfire could be heard across Khartoum, and witnesses reported heavy fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) near the army's headquarters in the center of the city. The French news agency, AFP, reports that RSF fighters in armored vehicles and pick-up trucks carrying heavy weapons swarmed the streets, while army fighter jets roared overhead and fired on RSF targets. Thousands of Khartoum residents have begun fleeing the city after sheltering indoors for several days to avoid the fighting. Electricity and water have been cut off to most parts of the capital since Saturday, and many people feared going outside to find food. Residents' hopes for a respite were dashed when the proposed 24-hour humanitarian cease-fire fell apart within minutes of its proposed start at 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT) on Tuesday. Both the army and RSF had agreed to the cease-fire after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone to General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the commander of Sudan's military, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, head of the Rapid Support Forces. Secretary Blinken's call to the two Sudanese rivals was one of many from the international community urging peace in the north African country. A communique issued Tuesday by foreign ministers from the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations as they met in Karuizawa, Japan condemned the fighting. The foreign ministers said the fighting "threatens the security and safety of Sudanese civilians and undermines efforts to restore Sudan's democratic transition." Fighting between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces broke out Saturday after months of rising tension over the country's political future and plans to integrate the RSF into the national army. The head of the World Health Organization said Tuesday that according to Sudanese authorities, 270 people have been killed in the fighting and more than 2,600 injured. But the actual death toll is uncertain because authorities have not been able to retrieve the bodies of those killed in the streets due to the heavy fighting. Fighting between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces broke out Saturday after months of rising tension over the country's political future and plans to integrate the RSF into the national army. Japan announced Wednesday it has begun plans to evacuate about 60 Japanese citizens from Sudan aboard military planes amid the worsening situation in Khartoum. The U.S. State Department told VOA on Wednesday it has been in communication with American citizens about safety measures and other precautions, adding that it is unaware of any deaths or injuries of U.S. citizens in Sudan. Calls for dialogue Residents of Khartoum said there has been no police presence on the city's streets since the clashes began. The European Union said its envoy to Sudan was assaulted in his residence on Monday but did not give further details. Blinken confirmed that a U.S. diplomatic convoy came under fire Monday, adding that initial reports indicated the attack was by forces linked to the Rapid Support Forces. Calls to end the fighting have come from around the world and within Africa, including the African Union, the Arab League and IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development). IGAD said Kenyan President William Ruto, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir and Djibouti's President Omar Guelleh will go to Khartoum to broker an immediate cease-fire. "President Salva Kiir has already been in touch with both General Burhan and General Hemedti to convey the message of the summit. '¦ Now, preparations are on the way to undertake this mission," Nuur Mohamud Sheekh, a spokesperson for IGAD's executive secretary, told VOA. Sudan's two top generals, however, have yet to express a willingness to negotiate and each has demanded the other's surrender. Dagalo said Monday on Twitter that he was defending democracy in Sudan and called Burhan a "radical Islamist." Dagalo's forces emerged from the notorious Janjaweed militias in Sudan's Darfur region and have been accused of carrying out atrocities in the region. The clashes are part of a power struggle between General Burhan, who also heads the transitional council, and General Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, the deputy head of the transitional council. The two generals joined forces in October 2021 to overthrow the transitional government formed after the 2019 ouster of longtime autocratic leader Omar al-Bashir. The restructuring of the military was part of an effort to restore the country to civilian rule and end the political crisis. VOA English to Africa's Carol Van Dam Falk, VOA Africa correspondent Mariama Diallo, VOA U.N. correspondent Margaret Besheer, VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell, VOA State Department Bureau Chief Nike Ching and VOA reporter Michael Atit contributed to this report. Some information for this article came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.