KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 — Two Malaysians and six nationals from the UK, the US, and Canada have been taken from Khartoum to an undisclosed safe location as Sudan’s military factions continue their violent conflict despite calls for a ceasefire.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said the two Malaysians and six other nationals — two each from Canada, the UK, and the US — were rescued by Malaysian Embassy officials in Khartoum and a special team from Operation Sudan yesterday.

"Although this operation is extremely risky, it has to be done to ensure the safety of Malaysians who need help.

"It is following the latest reports of intensifying clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in many locations throughout Khartoum,” he said in a statement this afternoon.

He added that the transfer operation is a preparatory step for the Malaysian embassy to gather Malaysians in a safe location before moving them out of Khartoum later.

The identities of the Malaysians and the other nationals were not disclosed in the statement.

Violent fighting broke out in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum and the Darfur region on April 16 between the SAF and the RSF, which are said to be rival factions of the northeast African nation.

Zambry had promised earlier this week to bring Malaysians in Sudan who are mostly students back to the country once the situation was safe enough to do so.

He noted that both factions in Sudan have been ignoring calls for a ceasefire from the United Nations, the African Union, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the US.

News agency Reuters reported today that the RSF had agreed to a six-day truce for the Aidilfitri celebrations, but that residents in Khartoum and another city Bahri had given accounts of soldiers marching into their neighbourhoods with gunfire continuing.