Khartoum – Violent clashes between Sudan’s army and a rival paramilitary force continued for the second day, with the death tally swelling to 69 and the number of injured touching 600 amid worries of a full-scale civil war.
Huge blasts and gunfire rocked Khartoum and adjourning cities for a second day of violence, while more than three dozen of civilians were killed in the federal capital including personnel of the World Food Program.
The military’s headquarters in the capital Khartoum turned into a battlefield as parts of the building were seen in huge flames, and the western region of Darfur, and Port Sudan also witnessed heavy gunfire and back-to-back explosions as rival paramilitaries claimed to take control of the airport.
The Sudanese army claimed to have control of the bases of rival force in Khartoum and other states. #Sudan, #Khartoum and similar keywords are also trending on social sites where clips showing tanks of the Sudanese army, along with aviation, targeting the Rapid Support Forces rebels.
Sudanese Air Force MiG-29 fighter jet fires unguided missiles at the headquarters of the Rapid Reaction Force (RSF) in Khartoum. pic.twitter.com/Dku98hSgo3
— Clash Report (@clashreport) April 16, 2023
The recent violence stemmed from fight for power between armed forces commander General Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and Rapid Support Forces chief General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo. Burhan and Dagalo are ex-allies who take over the country’s reign in the 2021 coup that derailed the North African country’s journey toward democracy. As clashes continue unabated, both forces are reportedly unwilling to back off.
Army called RSF a rebel militia while RSF claimed to be the right force to lead an African nation in which one-third of the population lives on foreign aid.
Two sides came face to face on the disagreement that RSF should be integrated into the main army and what authority should lead the country’s administration.
As the country of over 45 million people heading toward civil war, world leaders including the US Secretary of State, UN Chief, EU foreign policy chief, Arab League head and other officials called on both forces to end violence.
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Egypt, and other nations also made appeals as ongoing unrest will increase hardship in the crisis-hit country.
FO says in contact with Pakistanis in Sudan after paramilitary forces’ coup attempt
