A primary school teacher from Derry who is living in Sudan has urged the Irish Government to increase its efforts to bring him and his family to safety.
More than 300 people have been killed in fighting between the army in Sudan and the force called the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The RSF says that it has agreed to a 72-hour truce on humanitarian grounds. There was no immediate comment from the Sudanese army. However, the sound of explosions and gunfire were still being reported in the capital Khartoum on Friday morning.
Brian, who was only using his first name for his own safety, told RTÉ's Morning Ireland that he and his family were safe.
"We are safe. We've been spending the bulk of our time in our basement. It seems safer to be below ground. We are here in Khartoum. And the situation is declining rapidly.
"It doesn't sound like a ceasefire. Let's put it that way. I'm hearing bursts of gunfire. I'm hearing thuds of shelling. So yeah, I mean, it seems that whatever ceasefire was verbally communicated or sort of agreed, hasn't been upheld. And it seems that the fighting is continuing."
The father of two said his 18-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son were "bearing up okay."
"They are processing this in their own way. We are trying to be as calm as possible for our sake and for their sake. They are in communication with friends who are in different parts of the town so they are aware of the urgency of this and the danger of it."
Brian said that being evacuated "would be the ideal situation."
"I just want to communicate the urgency of our situation. You know, I want to speak up on behalf of all Irish citizens here. And like I say, I know that conversations are happening. I read the Irish Times story with Cathal Berry [Independent TD and former Army ranger] quoted talking about how efforts need to be stepped up.
"I just want to communicate the urgency of it and, whatever efforts are being made, if you could please, please, please step them up, if possible, coordinate, collaborate take whatever steps are necessary."
Brian said they had been in communication with their nearest embassy in Kenya.
"We have registered our details and they are fully aware that the ideal scenario is for us to be extricated, removed and evacuated. It is very clear that that is what our desired outcome would be. [The violence] happened very suddenly and unexpectedly. This erupted early on Saturday morning."
Meanwhile, Dr Osama Ali, general secretary of the Sudanese Community in Cork, said what is happening in Khartoum doesn't look like "unrest between two parties" but a "full-blown war."
He told Morning Ireland the situation was "unbelievable".
"I was born in Khartoum city. It is a lovely city. I have most of my family there. It is very hard to see areas that I recognise that is now completely destroyed. The city is reaching a point where there is utter and complete destruction."
The paediatric consultant at Mercy University Hospital in Cork acknowledged that was a "very sad Eid."
"Eid is like Christmas for us. But we will take this opportunity to show our solidarity. To raise our voice and to ask the international community to help with the protection of civilian. Observing some sort of ceasefire.
"We will be meeting tomorrow and we will urge the international humanitarian agencies to put Sudan as a priority. Put some sort of an urgent plan in place to reduce the human suffering there."
