An international donors' conference for Sudan was set to kick off in Geneva on Monday, one day into a 72-hour ceasefire between the country's warring generals aimed at allowing for the delivery of desperately needed aid.

The army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has since April 15 been battling paramilitary forces commanded by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, after the two fell out in a bitter power struggle.

Multiple truces have been agreed and broken in the war, which has claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people and driven another two million from their homes, including at least 528,000 who fled abroad.

The latest ceasefire came into force at 6 am (0400 GMT) on Sunday, with mediators saying the two sides had agreed to refrain from attacks and allow freedom of movement and the delivery of aid.