“Tension in the military and internally dominated regime in Sudan is disturbing,” said US Secretary of State John Godfrey on Twitter
After weeks of tension, the people of Sudan’s capital city woke up to gunfire and fierce fighting between the military and RSF. The country is in turmoil because the RSF have taken control of the army, presidency and three airports.
Videos posted on social media appeared to show the unfolding conflict, capturing air force jets patrolling the skies, soldiers firing in streets of the capital, armored vehicles speeding through residential streets and civilians running and taking shelter. Doctors told Reuters that at least three civilians have been killed in the fighting.
Tensions in the military component are very dangerous. I urgently call on senior military leaders to stop the fighting,” he said.
In December, the army agreed to hand power back to a civilian-led government this month, but the plan has been held back by tensions between the army and RSF over who should lead and become de facto head of state prior to elections.
“The Arab Republic of Egypt calls on all parties in Sudan to exercise maximum levels of self-control to protect the lives and potential of the brotherly Sudanese people, and in advance of the highest interests.”
“We are closely monitoring the situation in Khartoum and other parts of Sudan where there are ongoing military clashes,” British Embassy in Sudan said in a tweet. British nationals in Sudan are advised to stay indoors and follow our travel advice for more updates.
Ambassador John Godfrey said he woke up to the sounds of gunfire and fighting when he arrived in Khartoum. He urged all senior military leaders to stop the fighting.
The situation in Khartoum is fragile according to the US Secretary of State when asked about it by a reporter.
Sudans Army and RSF Are Doing Battle Leaving 56 Civilians Dead: CNN’s Rachel Abass Tells Them All
CNN’s Michael Callahan, Xiaofei Xu, Sophie Jeong, Lauren Kent, Duarte Mendonca, Salma Abdelaziz, Manveena Suri and Mariya Knight contributed to this post.
The doctors group says at least 56 people were killed, and they believe there are many more deaths among the rival forces. 600 people were wounded, including civilians and fighters according to the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate.
The clashes capped months of heightened tensions between the military and its partner-turned-rival, the Rapid Support Forces group. Those tensions had delayed a deal with political parties to get the country back to its short-lived transition to democracy, which was derailed by an October 2021 military coup.
“The battles have not stopped,” she said from her family home close to the military headquarters. “They are shooting against each other in the streets. It’s an all-out war in residential areas.”
Abass said that she and her family slept on the ground floor of their home. “The kids were crying and screaming with every explosion and no one was able to sleep,” she said. Sounds of gunfire were heard while she was speaking to The Associated Press.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/16/1170289462/sudans-army-and-rsf-are-doing-battle-leaving-56-civilians-dead
Sudans army and the rebel fighter group are doing a battle leaving 56 civilians dead: a statement from the Secretary of State to the UN Security Council
The military and the RSF both claimed to be in control of strategic locations in Khartoum and elsewhere in the county. Their claims were not verified.
The military, headed by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, called for dismantling the RSF, which it labeled a “rebellious militia.” The RSF head said in an interview with Al Arabyia that he wouldn’t negotiate. Burhan was asked to surrender by the man who called on him.
Top diplomats, including the U.S. Secretary of State, the U.N. secretary-general, the EU foreign policy chief, the head of the Arab League and the head of the African Union Commission urged the sides to stop fighting. The UN Security Council members called for an end to the fighting and a return to dialogue in the face of other crises.
The Secretary of State consulted with the foreign ministers of the two countries. “We agreed it was essential for the parties to immediately end hostilities without pre-condition,” he said in a statement early Sunday.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2023/04/16/1170289462/sudans-army-and-rsf-are-doing-battle-leaving-56-civilians-dead
Burhan and Dagalo have been charged with crimes against protesters: a case study on the Sudan-Sudan War in March 2019
Pro-democracy activists have blamed Burhan and Dagalo for abuses against protesters across the county over the past four years, including the deadly break-up of a protest camp outside the military’s headquarters in Khartoum in June 2019 that killed over 120 protesters. Many groups have repeatedly called for holding them accountable. The RSF has been accused of committing atrocities during the war in Sudan.