For a second consecutive day, fighting in Sudan between rival generals Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo has escalated, resulting in the deaths of at least 56 civilians and injuring hundreds more. The capital, Khartoum, has been rocked by explosions and gunfire, with tanks and fighter jets patrolling the streets.
The conflict began after weeks of mounting tensions between the two generals, who have controlled Sudan since the 2021 coup. Each has accused the other of initiating the violence. While Daglo’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claim to have captured key sites, including the presidential palace and Khartoum airport, the army maintains they are in control. The air force has urged civilians to stay indoors as it continues to target RSF bases with airstrikes.
The RSF, formed in 2013, evolved from the Janjaweed militia, which was previously accused of war crimes. Integrating the RSF into the regular army was a crucial aspect of negotiations aimed at returning Sudan to civilian rule and resolving the political-economic crisis brought on by the 2021 coup.
The Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, an independent pro-democracy group of medics, has reported that the civilian death toll has reached 56, with many more injured. The ongoing violence has also spread beyond Khartoum, with fighting occurring in the western Darfur region.
International leaders, including UN chief Antonio Guterres and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, have called for an immediate end to the hostilities. The Arab League is scheduled to hold an urgent meeting to discuss the situation, following requests from Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Source: thejournal.ie
