Sudan has been hit by violent clashes between its army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, resulting in the deaths of at least 56 civilians and dozens of fighters, according to the Sudanese Doctors Union. The fighting broke out after months of escalating tensions between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the military’s commander, and the head of the RSF, General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, over the integration of the RSF into the army. The two sides have been competing for power as political factions negotiate forming a transitional government after a 2021 military coup.
The situation escalated on Saturday, with both the army and the RSF claiming control of Sudan’s airport and other key installations in the capital city of Khartoum. The fighting continued overnight, with heavy artillery heard in Omdurman, which adjoins Khartoum, and nearby Bahri. Eyewitnesses also reported gunfire in the Red Sea city of Port Sudan. Fighter jets were witnessed across various parts of Khartoum, targeting RSF locations using airstrikes. The RSF claimed control of the presidential place, Khartoum airport, and other vital facilities – claims that the army denied.
The clashes have prompted numerous airlines to suspend flights to Khartoum, and neighbouring Chad has closed its border with Sudan. The UK, the US, the EU, China, and Russia have all called for an immediate end to the fighting, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken consulting with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to urge all parties to “end hostilities without pre-condition.”
The violence has caused panic and fear among residents of Khartoum, who have been dodging gunfire as rival forces battle over the presidential palace, state TV, and army headquarters. At least 595 people have been injured, according to the Sudanese Doctors Union. Three employees of the World Food Programme were killed after the RSF and armed forces exchanged fire at a military base in Kabkabiya.
Efforts by Egypt and South Sudan to mediate between the fighting parties have intensified, with international powers calling for an immediate end to the hostilities. The situation is a setback for Sudan, which had been making progress towards civilian-led government after the ousting of former authoritarian President Omar al-Bashir in 2019.
Image Credit: AP Photo/Marwan Ali
