As fighting between rival factions of Sudan's military leadership rages for a fourth day, many people are unable to get the basic supplies they need.

Ghazali Babiker, the acting country director for the medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières in Sudan, says civilians and the aid agencies trying to help them are effectively trapped:

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Sudan's paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), says it is committing to a 24-hour ceasefire to allow safe passage of civilians and for humanitarian aid.

In a statement, external on Tuesday, the head of RSF Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, said the deal had been reached following a conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and "other friendly nations".

"The RSF reaffirms its approval of a 24-hour armistice to ensure the safe passage of civilians and the evacuation of the wounded," Hemedti said.

He accused the army of failing to honour an earlier ceasefire by the UN, saying the soldiers were allegedly "bombing densely populated areas from the air and endangering civilian lives".

"These actions are a flagrant violation of the foundations and principles of international and humanitarian law," he added.

There has been no word yet from the Sudanese army on the ceasefire plea.

Sounds of gunfire were heard in Khartoum early on Tuesday morning, with the death toll now nearing 200.

Security dangers amid ongoing fighting mean Sudan's already frail healthcare system is failing to care for the many hundreds of people in need of life-saving treatment.

The World Health Organization's Sudan representative, Dr Nima Saeed Abid based in the capital, Khartoum, tells the BBC the situation there and across the country is "extremely bad":

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The UN special envoy to Sudan has told the BBC that he is in daily contact with the two generals whose forces are fighting for control of the country.

Volker Perthes said the leaders of the warring factions were talking to the UN but not to each other.

He said he would continue to press for humanitarian pauses so civilians can escape the fighting, while also pursuing a full ceasefire.

Ceasefire agreed on Sunday and Monday was not fully observed.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also spoken to the commanders of Sudan's army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Force to call for an end to the bloodshed.

Residents of Khartoum have again reported exchanges of heavy artillery as the fighting continues for a fourth day.

Sudanese doctors say almost 200 people have been have been killed although the real total is likely to be much higher

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The opposition Ennahda party in Tunisia said its headquarters were raided by police hours after its leader, Rached Ghannouchi, was arrested.

There's been no word from the former speaker of the National Assembly since he was taken from his home in Tunis on Monday.

Mr Ghannouchi is the latest critic of the authoritarian Tunisian president, Kais Saied, to be detained.

The head of the opposition coalition, of which Ennahda is a member, called his arrest "blind revenge".

The interior ministry said Mr Ghannouchi had been brought in for questioning and his house searched on the orders of prosecutors investigating "inciting statements".

He appeared in court at the end of February on terror-related charges.

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Sounds of gunfire are still being heard in Sudan's capital Khartoum despite mounting pressure for rival groups to cease the fighting.

A justice and democracy campaigner in Khartoum, Hala Y Alkarib, told BBC's Newsday programme that she could still hear very loud artillery sounds around her.

"There is nowhere to go because it's more dangerous to step out and there are no safe routes," she said, adding that the situation in Khartoum is "extremely deteriorating".

The Sudanese army and a paramilitary group called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are reportedly still engaged in fierce fighting to control the military headquarters in the capital.

Al-Arabiya TV reported, external sounds of "bombings and heavy gunfire" in the vicinity of the general command on Tuesday.

Fighting is also reported around Khartoum airport and other places in Omdurman and Khartoum Bahri.

Both sides have claimed control of the army command as well as the main airport.

There have been multiple international calls for an end to the fighting - which is now in its fourth day and has led to nearly 200 deaths.

Image source, AFP

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described as “reckless” an attack on a US diplomatic convoy in Sudan amid fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

"This action was reckless, it was irresponsible and of course unsafe," he told reporters in Japan where he attended a meeting of G7 foreign ministers.

"We have deep concerns about the overall security environment," he said.

It came as Mr Blinken spoke to the head of the army Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF head Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo and stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of diplomatic personnel and aid workers.

The EU's ambassador in Sudan, Aidan O'Hara, was earlier reported to have been assaulted at his home in the capital Khartoum amid the fighting between the army and RSF forces.

Around 185 people have been killed and more than 1,800 injured in three days of fighting in Sudan, according to the UN.

• Read more: Blinken says US diplomatic convoy fired upon

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BBC News, Abuja

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Nigeria has approved a new malaria vaccine developed by scientists at Oxford University.

The move comes days after Ghana became the first country in the world to approve the (R21) vaccine.

The head of Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration, Mojisola Adeyeye, said the vaccine would be used for prevention of malaria in children aged between five months and three years - the most vulnerable group.

The approval is unusual as it comes before the publication of final stage trial data for the vaccine, which is thought to be 80% effective.

Nigeria has the highest number of malaria deaths worldwide.

The disease kills more than 6,000 people around the world every year - many of them children in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Oliver Andrews was found with counterfeit money while on holiday in Morocco in November 2022.

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Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid has expressed his country’s willingness to host a dialogue between the rival parties in Sudan to negotiate an end to the crisis in the African country.

In a Facebook statement, external on Monday, Mr Rashid expressed "firm confidence in the wisdom of the brothers in Sudan", saying that their "ability to hold peaceful and democratic dialogue is enough to overcome this crisis by immediately stopping fighting and armed actions".

“Here I assure the brothers in Sudan that Iraq is ready to make efforts and help in offering opportunities for constructive dialogue in a way that contributes to giving priority to the logic of peace and strengthening the democratic path,” said the statement.

Nearly 200 people have been killed and another 1,800 injured in three days of fighting between the rival factions in Sudan.

The US secretary of state says nobody was hurt in the incident which came amid deadly fighting.

Ferdinand Omondi
BBC News, Nairobi

Image source, Reuters

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken to Sudanese army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the head of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo amid fighting between the two forces.

Around 185 people have been killed since fighting broke out on Saturday.

Mr Blinken tweeted , externalthat he underscored the urgent need for a ceasefire and stressed the importance of ensuring the safety of diplomatic personnel and aid workers.

The RSF has acknowledged the phone call with Mr Blinken on its social media page, external but has given no firm commitment to end the hostilities.

A second three-hour ceasefire on Monday night was barely honoured, with both sides blaming each other for the breach.

An EU diplomat was assaulted in his official residence, while the UN said its agencies, warehouses and guest houses were shot at and looted.

Some civilian homes have also been broken into and the residents were assaulted, but RSF denies involvement.

The two military leaders disagree on Sudan's future, including the integration of RSF into the national army.

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Doctors estimate 97 people are dead and hundreds more are injured after three days of fighting.

Patients and doctors tell the BBC of worsening conditions as clashes continue in Khartoum.

Gen Burhan and Gen Dagalo's tense relationship has spiralled into conflict engulfing the country.

An overview of the media in Sudan, including links to broadcasters and newspapers.

There have been multiple calls on the continent for an end to the fighting - which is now in its third day and has led to dozens of deaths. Here's a look at what leaders of other African nations have said.

• South Africa: Labelled the situation in Sudan “disturbing” and appealed to the rival factions to spare the Sudanese people any further violence during the holy month of Ramadan
• Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni said it was of the "utmost importance" to cease the hostilities "to stop the tragedy and mockery of Africa”
• Kenya: President William Ruto asked regional leaders to take a firm position to restore peace in Khartoum. Kenyan authorities say they are planning to evacuate 3,000 nationals stuck in Sudan
• Ethiopia: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the clashes “contradict the longstanding and deep-rooted Sudanese norms and values”
• Chad: The ruling junta has closed the border with Sudan and called on “the belligerents to commence dialogue”
• Guinea-Bissau: President Umaro Sissoco Embalo - who is also chair of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) - has similarly appealed for calm and dialogue

Image source, AFP

We've had a fresh comment from one of the two men involved in a bitter dispute that's spiralled into all-out conflict.

The commander of the paramilitary Rapid Special Forces (RSF) Gen Mohammed Hamdan Daglo (also known as Hemedti) has called for the international community to intervene.

In a Twitter thread posted this morning, external, he calls for action over the "crimes" of his adversary, the army leader Gen General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan. He claims his troops are fighting against "radical Islamists".

The head of the RSF says the fight he is waging is "the price of democracy". He says his soldiers "did not attack anyone" and are simply responding to a "siege and assault".

He adds: "We are fighting for the people of Sudan to ensure the democratic progress, for which they have so long yearned."

But Hemedti's claims have been dismissed by many of those commenting on his post - who note that his paramilitary force has a brutal reputation. The RSF has previously been accused of ethnic cleansing in Darfur.