The power struggle intensifies in Sudan with fighting in Khartoum

Violent fighting was heard in central Khartoum on Thursday as the army tried to expel the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF) from areas around the presidential palace and army headquarters.

Both sides appear to be fighting for control of territory in the capital ahead of any possible talks, even as leaders of both factions have shown little public willingness to hold talks after more than two weeks of fighting.

Heavy shelling also took place in the nearby cities of Omdurman and Bahri. The two sides agreed to a seven-day ceasefire, which was violated.

“Since yesterday evening and this morning there have been air strikes and sounds of clashes,” said Al-Sadiq Ahmed, a 49-year-old engineer speaking from Khartoum.

“We have entered a state of permanent terror because the battles are in the centers of residential neighborhoods. We don’t know when this nightmare and this fear will end.”

The United Nations, for its part, pressured Sudan’s warring factions on Wednesday to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian aid after six trucks were looted and airstrikes on the capital undermined an alleged truce.

United Nations aid chief Martin Griffiths said he expected face-to-face meetings with Sudan’s warring parties within two to three days to obtain assurances from them for aid convoys to deliver humanitarian aid.

The United Nations has warned that the fighting between the army and the RSF, which broke out on April 15, risks causing a humanitarian catastrophe that could spread to other countries. Sudan said on Tuesday that 550 people had been killed and 4,926 injured in the fighting so far.

About 100,000 people have fled Sudan with little food or water to neighboring countries, the UN says.

The army said it killed RSF fighters and destroyed several vehicles “belonging to the rebels” after clashes with the group in the Bahri military region.

The military and RSF joined forces in a coup two years ago and shared power as part of an internationally supported transition to free elections and civilian rule before splitting in the transition.

RSF accused the army of violating a ceasefire and attacking the forces since dawn. He said the army attacked his residential neighborhoods with artillery and aircraft in a “cowardly way”.

Source: Terra

Rose

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