The start of a 72-hour cease-fire aimed at calming more than two months of conflict between rival Sudanese military factions brought a lull in clashes in Khartoum early Sunday following battles and airstrikes overnight, residents said.

Agreement to Refrain from Attacks

Sudan’s army and the rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have agreed to refrain from attacks and from seeking military advantage during the cease-fire period, which started at 6 a.m. (0400 GMT), as well as allowing for delivery of aid, Saudi and U.S. mediators said. Several previous truces have failed to stop the fighting.

Power Struggle Turns Capital into War Zone

The power struggle between the two sides has turned the capital into a war zone plagued by looting, led to outbursts of fighting in other regions, and triggered a sharp escalation of violence in Darfur in western Sudan.

Clashes and Airstrikes Reported Before Cease-Fire

In the hours before the truce period began witnesses reported clashes and airstrikes in several areas of Khartoum and Omdurman, one of two adjoining cities that make up the wider capital at the confluence of the River Nile.

Hopes for End of War

“The situation in Khartoum is calm, especially because last night there were air strikes and it was terrifying,” 49-year-old resident Salaheldin Ahmed told Reuters by phone on Sunday morning, expressing hope that the truce could be the “beginning of the end” of the war.

“We are tired,” he said. “Enough of war, death and looting.”

Previous Cease-Fires Violated

Previous cease-fires brokered by Saudi Arabia and the United States at talks in Jeddah have allowed for the delivery of some humanitarian aid as fighting has subsided, but both sides have repeatedly violated the agreements.

Conflict Intensifies Since June

The conflict, which erupted over disputes about a plan for a transition to elections under a civilian government four years after long-ruling autocrat Omar al-Bashir was overthrown during a popular uprising, has intensified since early June.

Donors Conference in Geneva

On Monday, Germany, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Nations are hosting a donors conference in Geneva that aims to attract pledges of funding for humanitarian relief in Sudan.

The U.N. says more than half the population of 49 million now needs humanitarian assistance within Sudan, requiring some $3 billion in funding until the end of the year.

It has also appealed for nearly $500 million for the refugee crisis caused by the conflict. More than 500,000 people have fled into countries neighboring Sudan, in addition to nearly 1.7 million who have been internally displaced.