Khartoum, 28 April 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Rival military groups fighting in Sudan have agreed to extend their ceasefire by another 72 hours, brokers US and Saudi Arabia confirmed, while an ethnic conflict flared up in the state of West Darfur.

Violence has broken out between the Masalit of African origin and groups of Arab origin in the western Sudanese state, according to reports. On Wednesday, the UN Special Envoy to Sudan, Volker Perthes, warned of looting, attacks on civilians and clashes between different ethnic groups in West Darfur.

The state of West Darfur is located in the far west of Sudan on the border with Chad. For decades, there have been ethnic conflicts throughout the Darfur region.

Meanwhile, Riyadh and Washington said that the Sudanese Armed Forces and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) agreed to a 72-hour extension of a first, fragile ceasefire which was due to expire on Thursday evening.

"In unison with international and regional partners, we urge the parties to commit to end the fighting and ensure unimpeded humanitarian access," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement welcoming the agreement to extend the truce.

The north-east Africa country's army, led by de facto president Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by his deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, have been fighting for power for nearly two weeks.

With fighting ongoing, the international relief organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is planning to expand its aid response in Sudan, as Western nations pull their nationals out of the country

Emergency teams are ready to travel to the embattled country on the Horn of Africa, the organization said on Thursday.

There were only sporadic exchanges of gunfire in Khartoum on Thursday, a dpa journalist in the capital reported. In the morning, however, the city was hit by air strikes again, according to media reports. The supply situation is still considered tense.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says at least 460 people have been killed and almost 4,100 injured in the fighting, which began almost a fortnight ago. The true number of victims, however, is believed to be much higher.

With this tense background numerous countries are moving their nationals and others out of the country. And while many nations have helped each other by evacuating each other's citizens, it hasn't all gone smoothly.

On Thursday, the British Ministry of Defence rejected German accusations that British moves delayed the German evacuation mission in Sudan by landing at an airfield near Khartoum without Sudanese army consent, according to a BBC report.

This angered the Sudanese so much that they initially blocked access, the report said. Half a day was lost as a result, it said.

"It is not accurate to suggest that Britain's efforts to evacuate embassy staff from Sudan last weekend slowed-down Germany's plans," a statement from the British Defence Ministry on Thursday said, according to the BBC. The British ministry insists it worked very closely with its French, US and especially German partners and was grateful to the Sudanese forces.

British flights from Khartoum were still scheduled for Thursday, but Britain's Foreign Secretary James Cleverly warned that it was not certain whether flights could continue beyond the end of initial 72-hour ceasefire on Thursday evening.

The German army or Bundeswehr flew its last rescue plane out of the war-torn country on Wednesday evening, carrying the last remaining German soldiers in Sudan, a spokesman for the rescue effort said on Thursday. In total, the Bundeswehr flew 780 people from 40 countries out of the embattled country, including 230 Germans.

France has taken 398 people from a total of 50 different nations by ship from Sudan, including five French citizens, the Foreign Ministry in Paris announced on Thursday.

A frigate brought the people from Port Sudan to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. Since the start of the evacuation operations, the French army has taken 936 people out of Sudan, including 214 French nationals.

Sweden has also ended its its evacuation mission, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in Stockholm on Thursday. Since Monday around 160 people including 60 Swedes left Sudan on Swedish flights.

Saudia Arabia evacuated 187 people by ship again to the coastal city of Jeddah on Thursday, including other foreign nationals, the Foreign Ministry in Riyadh announced.

The Saudi government said it has so far evacuated a total of 2,544 people from Sudan, including more than 2,400 foreigners.

More than 1,300 Chinese nationals have also been brought to safety, Foreign Office spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters in Beijing on Thursday. Some had already left Sudan on board Chinese naval vessels. Only a few Chinese remain in Sudan outside Khartoum, the spokeswoman said. According to state media reports, 300 Chinese nationals have also crossed overland to neighbouring countries.