The conflict sparked off the planned incorporation of the RSF into the army; it is considered a key step in the plan to return power in the North African country to a civilian government. The fighting in Khartoum was concentrated primarily on the army headquarters, the presidential palace and the headquarters of the national TV station. Both the regular army and the militia Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed they controlled the international airport and other key strategic positions in the capital.
Three World Food Program (WFP) workers in Kabkabiya, North Darfur, were also killed in the fighting. “I am also extremely appalled by reports of missiles penetrating UN and other humanitarian facilities, as well as reports of looting of UN and other humanitarian facilities in several locations in Darfur,” said UN Special Envoy Volker Perthes. The organization stopped the relief efforts in the country on Sunday.
unrest in Sudan
Serious unrest broke out in Sudan over the weekend. Two factions of the Sudanese military are fighting each other. Dozens of people have already been killed.
The background to the outbreak of violence is a power struggle between the Sudanese ruler General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo, leader of the armed RSF. The conflict in the north-east African country had escalated within a few hours on Saturday into a state crisis with skirmishes between the army and the paramilitary group.
Luftwaffe attacks militia
According to the BBC, heavy artillery fire was also reported from the cities of Omdurman and Bahri near Khartoum on Sunday morning. The three cities are right next to each other on the Nile. There was also fighting with light infantry weapons in Port Sudan, the coastal city on the Red Sea.
The Sudanese army had already deployed the air force on Saturday, and on Sunday it was said that they would attack RSF militia positions. She ordered civilians to remain in their homes. Residents in the Sudanese capital told the BBC they were scared and panicked because of the fighting and the unclear situation.
International concern
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called RSF General Daglo, also known as Hemeti, on Saturday to calm the situation, the UN said. A conversation with army chief Burhan should follow “as soon as possible”. On Sunday night, the UN Security Council called on all parties to the conflict to cease fighting and to start talks to end the crisis.
The statement emphasized the goal of “the unity, sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Republic of Sudan”. Representatives from the US, Russia, the African Union (AU) and the EU also called for an end to the violence. The military escalation raises concerns about a new civil war in the crisis-ridden state.
Saudi Arabian airliner damaged
The army and RSF blamed each other for the outbreak of violence. They also gave conflicting information about the situation in the country. The RSF said it had taken the Presidential Palace and Khartoum Airport, among other places. The army rejected this. She accused the RSF fighters of setting fire to a Saudi Arabian airliner during the clashes.
According to the Saudi Arabian airline Saudia, an Airbus A330 was damaged by gunfire in Khartoum shortly before its scheduled takeoff to Saudi Arabia. Passengers and crew were already on the plane at the time of the attack, but they are now safe at the Saudi Arabian embassy. As a consequence, Saudia suspended all Sudan flights.
Militia chief calls on population to revolt
RSF leader Daglo told al-Jazeera news channel that his fighters aim to capture all army bases. The RSF would also fight until “the honorable members of the armed forces join us”.
The militia also called on the population to rise up against the military government. Tensions between the army and the RSF had increased in recent weeks. The background were plans to integrate the militia into the army. The move was seen as a central part of the plan to transfer power in Sudan to a civilian government.
Decades of crises and struggles
Burhan has been the de facto ruler in Sudan since a military coup in October 2021. He deposed the government tasked with leading the transition to democratic elections after the ouster of longtime ruler Omar al-Bashir in 2019. Pro-democracy forces accuse the army chief of fueling internal conflicts in the country for political purposes.
Now fighting the army, the RSF militia emerged from the Janjaweed militia that committed atrocities against the civilian population in Darfur. When Bashir was ousted, the RSF and Burhan were still fighting side by side. However, RSF leader Daglo later turned against Burhan. There has been fighting in the Darfur region for 20 years. Sudan is the third largest country in Africa.
