Over 50 people have reportedly been killed and nearly 600 injured in fierce clashes between rival factions in Sudan, as the country’s army and Rapid Support Forces continue to accuse each other of sparking the bloodshed, while making conflicting claims on their gains.
According to the latest estimates by the Central Committee of Sudan Doctors, cited by Reuters, at least 56 people had been killed and another 595 wounded as of Sunday morning. Another medical union, the Sudan Doctor’s Syndicate, previously told AP it was unclear how many of the victims were civilians, and warned that the death toll could rise due to “many uncounted casualties” in various parts of the country.
The row over how the RSF should be integrated into the military, and which authority should oversee the process, erupted in bloodshed on Saturday morning, with gunfire and explosions heard across the capital throughout the day and into the night.
Both sides used armored vehicles and pick-up trucks with mounted machine guns in battles in and around Khartoum, according to dramatic videos. Witnesses also reported seeing tanks and jets, as the military said it launched several airstrikes against RSF positions.
The paramilitary unit claimed to have seized the presidential palace, state TV station, multiple airports and the army chief's residence, and said it had inflicted heavy casualties on the Sudanese army. The leader of RSF claimed his forces are in control of 90% of strategic sites in the capital, Khartoum.
The military insists that all strategic facilities in the capital and across the country are still under its control. The military ruled out negotiations with the RSF, calling it a “rebellious militia” that must be dissolved.
The rivalry dates back to the rule of President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in April 2019. Sudan has since been in a state of political crisis. The country is currently led by the Transitional Sovereign Council. Its president – and de facto ruler of the nation – is army Chief General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan. RSF commander General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti, is the deputy chairman.
The exact power balance and the situation on the ground remains unclear, with the international community in unison calling for a ceasefire. The United Nations, the African Union and the Arab League have all urged the parties to return to negotiations.
China urged talks between the warring sides to “prevent the situation from escalating,” while the US urged “all actors to stop the violence immediately and avoid further escalations or troop mobilizations.”
Moscow expressed hope that the conflict will “exit the military armed phase and turn into negotiations between the warring sides” as soon as possible, while urging Russian citizens currently in Sudan to stay at home.