Sudan's defence minister has ordered soldiers and officers up to the age of 65 who are on guard to be drafted into the army.

The EPA reports that Al Hadath Telecommunications has leaked information about the case.

"The decision to recruit precautionary forces is intended to support the Efforts of the Sudanese Army to Restore Security in the Country," the telecommunications network quoted a Sudanese military department official as saying. The order signed by the minister says the recruitment of troops is related to the situation in the country.

Earlier, Sudan's Ministry of Defence had announced its willingness to arm civilians who had been discharged from the army. The soldiers who had been discharged and who were on duty were summoned to the nearest cabinet offices to take up arms there. The arming of pensioners is intended to ensure they can protect themselves and their families from possible attacks by insurgents. The Ministry of Defence said in a statement that "there is no time for war in the cities and the insurgents are using civilians as live shields."

A seven-day humanitarian ceasefire agreement in Sudan, initiated by Saudi Arabia and the United States, went into effect late monday. However, the military and missionaries have made several mutual accusations, accusing each other of violating the ceasefire.