According to media reports, fighting for the general command of the Sudanese army in the capital Khartoum has intensified. In the evening, the paramilitary group “Rapid Support Forces” (RSF) announced that it was taking over the general command, which the military described as a false claim. On Sunday morning, despite the ongoing fighting, the Sudanese military said they were “close to victory”.
In the violent power struggle in Sudan, according to doctors at least 56 civilians and numerous militants were killed. The number of injured totaled 595, the doctors’ association announced on Sunday.
Witnesses reported artillery fire in the capital Khartoum and other cities in the northeast African country. The military launched airstrikes on an RSF base near Khartoum. Army chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan called on the RSF to withdraw its forces from the capital. The RSF were unyielding.
It was initially unclear how many soldiers and paramilitaries were killed. The medical association spoke of a large number. More detailed information could not initially be obtained from the hospitals.
The Sudan Air Force urged the population not to be outdoors while RSF activities were being monitored from the air. Videos on social media showed military jets flying low over Khartoum. At least one of them fired a missile.
Shots and explosions in the capital
Shots and explosions could be heard in the capital on Sunday, gun trucks and armored vehicles drove through the city. Banks, schools and authorities remained closed. Witnesses again reported artillery battles in the cities of Omdurman and Bahri, which are close to Khartoum. Shots were also fired in the Red Sea port of Bur Sudan, from which no fighting had previously been reported.
The RSF had already declared on Saturday they took control of the presidential palace, General Burhan’s residence, the headquarters of state television and the international airport in the capital, Khartoum.
The military, on the other hand, announced that they would repel the attacks. The RSF vie for power with the regular army while political groups scramble to form an interim government. Actually, the RSF should be integrated into the military.
The US, Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Nations and the European Union have called for an end to the violence. On Sunday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry also expressed its deep concern and called for a ceasefire on both sides of the conflict. (Reuters/dpa)
