SUDANESE communists called on Saturday for an “immediate” ceasefire as a bitter struggle for power between Sudan’s army and a notorious paramilitary force has left more than 50 civilians dead and around 600 wounded.

The fierce fighting in the capital and other areas has dealt a new blow to hopes for a transition to democracy and raises fears of a wider conflict.

The clashes capped months of heightened tensions between the military, headed by General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and its partner-turned-rival, the Rapid Support Forces group (RSF), led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.