Khartoum, Sudan - As fighting continues in Sudan, tens of thousands of people fled to neighboring countries on Monday, though a 72-hour ceasefire was announced in the evening.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Sudanese armed forces and rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had agreed to observe a nationwide ceasefire for 72 hours starting at midnight.

Similar announcements have been made since the outbreak of fighting but were not observed. The RSF has already accused the Sudanese army of violating the agreement.

"To support a durable end to the fighting, the United States will coordinate with regional and international partners, and Sudanese civilian stakeholders, to assist in the creation of a committee to oversee the negotiation, conclusion, and implementation of a permanent cessation of hostilities and humanitarian arrangements in Sudan," Blinken said in a statement.

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"We will continue to work with the Sudanese parties and our partners toward the shared goal of a return to civilian government in Sudan."

The announcement came as a ceasefire agreed by the warring sides for the Eid al-Fitr celebrations to mark the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, was due to end on Monday evening.

Sudan's two most powerful generals and their units have been fighting for supremacy for over a week, leaving hundreds dead.

De facto president Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who is also commander-in-chief of the army, is fighting with the military against his deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, the leader of the powerful paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Meanwhile, organizations and governments continued their evacuation efforts. Following the temporary closure of the US embassy in Khartoum, the US government is exploring other options for a diplomatic presence in the country.