Fighting rocks Sudan capital as army battles paramilitaries

Ahram Online , Sunday 16 Apr 2023

Air strikes and artillery exchanges rocked the Sudanese capital Saturday as paramilitaries and the regular army traded attacks on each other's bases, days after the army warned the country was at a "dangerous" turning point.

Army soldiers deploy in Khartoum on April 15, 2023. AFP
Army soldiers deploy in Khartoum on April 15, 2023. AFP

 

23:59 Sudan doctors say 26 people have been killed and 103 wounded in day of fighting.

23:20 UN Secretary-General spoke to Lt. General Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and to RSF Leader Lt. General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, calling for an immediate stop to the violence and a return to dialogue. He also spoke to Egypt President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki on how to de-escalate the situation, the UN Spokesperson announced.

23:00 Egypt and Saudi Arabia have jointly called for an emergency meeting of permanent representatives at the Arab League to discuss the ongoing crisis in Sudan on Sunday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced Saturday evening. 

22:50 Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called on Saturday evening on Sudanese sides to prioritise the language of dialogue and national consensus, and to uphold the supreme interests of the brotherly Sudanese people.

22:45 Sudan’s Doctors’ Syndicate told Reuters 25 people were killed, and 183 other injured since the start of the clashes earlier today.

22:00 The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has urged for an end to the ongoing hostilities in Sudan and has condemned the outbreak of violence. The UN has released a statement calling upon all parties involved in the crisis to "immediately cease hostilities, restore calm, and initiate a dialogue."

21:15 Fierce clashes between the Armed forces and the RSF resumed in the evening around the headquarters of the General Command of the Sudanese Armed Forces in the capital Khartoum.

Meanwhile, a senior RSF commander, speaking outside the headquarters of the general command headquarters in the evening, claimed in statements to Sky News Arabia that his soldiers have entered into the building.
The same commander also claimed that the RSF now controls “90 percent” of military areas in the country.

20:15 The Saudi TV network Al-Arabiya reported a situation of calm and waiting in the north of the country after clashes between the Armed Forces and paramilitaries earlier in the day.
Traffic returned on the streets of Omdurman on the opposite side of the Nile from Khartoum on Saturday evening, according to Al-Arabiya.

20:00 In a three-way conference call today, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Foreign Minister of the UAE Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the tense situation in Sudan, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Saturday evening.

The three top diplomats stressed “the importance of ending military escalation and the return to the framework agreement in a way that guarantees the safety and stability of Sudan and its people,” SPA reported.

19:15 The Egyptian Armed Forces has urged on Saturday evening for "the safeguarding of the safety and security of Egyptian troops who were in Sudan to conduct joint training with their Sudanese counterparts."

19:00 The Chairman of the African Union Commission has issued a plea to the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces to immediately cease the destruction of the country and the intimidation of its citizens. The African Union is calling for an end to the violence and for both sides to come to the negotiating table.

The Chairman has also called on the international community to pressure the parties to stop the fighting and engage in dialogue. The African Union is deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Sudan and the impact the conflict is having on the civilian population.

18:40 Power outage in the capital Khartoum as sounds of heavy gunfire being exchanged are heard, Al-Arabiya reports. 

18:00 RSF announce closure of roads leading toward South Khartoum while photos of paramilitaries seizing control of West Darfur airport are reported to be circulated.

17:40 The Egyptian embassy in Khartoum has urged expatriates in Sudan to exercise maximum caution by staying away from the areas of ongoing fighting and refrain from unnecessary movements until the situation stabilises.

17:10 Former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, who was ousted in 2021, warned of a possible regional conflict if the fighting escalates. He urged the leaders of the military and the RSF to immediately cease hostilities. “Shooting must stop immediately,” he said in a video message posted on his Twitter account.

16:50 A Sudanese doctors’ group said at least three people were killed and dozens more injured during the clashes.

16:30 Sudan's paramilitary commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo vowed Saturday that his fighters will keep on fighting until "all army bases are captured."

"We will not stop fighting until we capture all the army bases and the honourable members of the armed forces join us," Daglo told Al Jazeera.

Fighting has raged since early Saturday between the regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by Daglo.

16:05 The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have announced that they have taken control of the airbase in Jabal Awliya, a region located southwest of the capital city of Khartoum. The airbase is significant as it is home to Sudan's Air Force Academy and has been used as a strategic location for military operations in the past.

16:00 Russia's foreign ministry on Saturday called for "urgent steps" to end violent clashes in Sudan between the army and paramilitary groups that left at least three civilians dead.

"The dramatic events taking place in Sudan are causing serious concern in Moscow. We call on the parties of the conflict to show political will and restraint and take urgent steps towards a ceasefire," the ministry said in a statement.

15:30 Violent clashes in Sudan between the army and paramilitary groups must end "immediately," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday.

The top US diplomat said he was "deeply concerned" about the reports of fighting. He said US embassy staff in the capital Khartoum are all "currently accounted for."

"We urge all actors to stop the violence immediately and avoid further escalations or troop mobilizations and continue talks to resolve outstanding issues," he tweeted from Hanoi, Vietnam, where he is passing through on his way to a Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers' meeting in Japan.

15:25 The Sudanese Armed Forces reported that they still control all bases and airports in the country, denying that the Rapid Support Forces have taken control of Merowe Airport in the north, describing the claim as "psychological warfare."

15:20 The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced that they have taken control of the Radio and Television building in Khartoum.

15:15 Head of the Sudanese Armed Forces General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan confirmed on Saturday that the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) had initiated the current fighting in the country's capital city, Khartoum, and other states. Al-Burhan stated that the RSF sought to take control of army bases, assassinate individuals and occupy vital areas.

Speaking to Saudi pan-Arab news channel Al Arabiya/Al Hadath, Al-Burhan emphasised that the armed forces are capable of defeating the rebels.

"The army has sufficient forces and the will to defeat the rebels," Al-Burhan said.

The armed forces have no choice but to confront the RSF's ambitions for power, he said, adding that the military is conducting their operations with patience to prevent human losses.

14: 55 The Sudanese army says that the Rapid Support Forces are heavily deployed at the television headquarters.

14: 50 The Sudanese army confirmed that it has "complete control" over the General Command headquarters of the armed forces.

14: 45 Three Sudanese civilians were killed Saturday as fighting raged between the regular army and paramilitaries in Khartoum and other cities, the doctors' union said.

In a statement on Facebook, the medics said "two people were killed in Khartoum airport" and another person was killed in El Obeid, in North Kordofan state, south of the capital

It added that at least nine other people were wounded in the clashes, including an army officer in Khartoum's sister city of Omdurman.

14:30 Flydubai and Air Arabia have announced the suspension of their flights to Sudan following the recent unrest in the country caused by clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.

A spokesperson for Flydubai stated that the airline has cancelled its flights between Dubai and Khartoum from April 15 to April 17 due to the current situation in Sudan. The airline will continue to closely monitor the situation and apologize for any inconvenience caused to passengers as a result of the travel schedule changes.

Meanwhile, Air Arabia has announced the cancellation of all its flights to Sudan until further notice.

14:20 Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Abul-Gheit, has expressed worry and shock at the ongoing military operations between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum and other areas.

Abul-Gheit condemned the fighting, especially during the holy month of Ramadan.

Abul-Gheit emphasised that the warring factions have the responsibility to ensure the safety and security of Sudanese civilians in conflict zones and throughout the country. He called for an immediate cessation of hostilities to de-escalate the situation. Abul-Gheit also said that the Arab League's Secretariat is prepared to intervene with the parties to achieve this objective.

The secretary-general's statement follows international organisations and governments around the world expressing concern over the situation in Sudan and calling for an end to the violence.

14:00 The UN envoy in Sudan calls for an immediate cessation of fighting to ensure the safety of the people.

13:45 Sudanese Armed Forces battle rebels in Khartoum, press statement says.

The General Command of the Armed Forces issued a press statement on Saturday, saying that government forces are currently battling rebel groups in the capital, Khartoum.

According to the statement, the rebel forces are conspiring against the state and national sovereignty, and have been engaging in acts of aggression against Sudan. In response, the armed forces have been fighting for the "right and national dignity" of the country, with soldiers shedding "precious blood" in the process.

The statement also suggests that the conflict is centered around strategic locations in Khartoum, including the presidential palace, the General Command, and the headquarters of the president of the Sovereignty Council. The rebel forces are said to be deploying their forces from bases scattered throughout the capital in attempts to control these sites.

"Our forces are currently confronting the enemy, and their nefarious efforts will fail and be shattered by the determination, will and courage of your sons in the armed forces," the statement reads.

The press statement did not provide further details about the nature of the conflict or the identities of the rebel groups involved. It did, however, express condolences to the families of "righteous martyrs" who had already died in the fighting, and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded.

The situation in Khartoum remains tense, with reports of gunfire and explosions being heard throughout the city.

The government has not yet issued any further statements or updates regarding the conflict.

13:25 Commercial aircraft trying to land at Khartoum International Airport began turning around to head back to their originating airport. Flights from Saudi Arabia turned back after nearly landing at the airport, flight tracking data showed Saturday.

13:00 The US ambassador in Sudan says the scalation of tensions within the military component to direct fighting is extremely dangerous. “I urgently call on senior military leaders to stop the fighting.” he added.

 

WHAT HAPPENED 

Sustained firing broke out in the Sudanese capital Saturday amid simmering tensions between the military and the country's powerful paramilitary forces.

The sounds of heavy firing could be heard in a number of areas, including central Khartoum and the neighbourhood of Bahri.

In a series of statements, the Rapid Support Forces militia accused the army of attacking its forces at one of its bases in south Khartoum and claimed they had seized the city's airport and “completely controlled” Khartoum’s Republican Palace, the seat of the country’s presidency. The group also said it seized an airport and airbase in the northern city of Marawi, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) northwest of Khartoum. The Associated Press was unable to verify those claims.

In a separate statement Saturday, the Sudanese Army said the fighting broke out after RSF troops tried to attack its forces in the southern part of the capital. In a later statement, the military declared the RSF a “rebel force,” describing the paramilitary’s statements as “lies.”

The clashes came as tensions between the military and the RSF have escalated in recent months, forcing a delay in the signing of an internationally backed deal with political parties to revive the country’s democratic transition.

Commercial aircraft trying to land at Khartoum International Airport began turning around to head back to their originating airport. Flights from Saudi Arabia turned back after nearly landing at Khartoum International Airport, flight tracking data showed Saturday.

Tensions between the army and the paramilitary stem from a disagreement over how the RSF, headed by Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, should be integrated into the military and what authority should oversee the process. The merger is a key condition of Sudan’s unsigned transition agreement.

However, the army-RSF rivalry dates back to the rule of autocratic President Omar al-Bashir, who was ousted in 2019. Under the former president, the paramilitary force grew out of former militias known as the janjaweed that carried out a brutal crackdown in Sudan’s Darfur region during the decades of conflict there.

In a rare televised speech Thursday, a top army general warned of potential clashes with paramilitary forces, accusing it of deploying forces in Khartoum and other areas of Sudan without the army’s consent. The RSF defended the presence of its forces in an earlier statement.

  

The RSF recently deployed troops near the northern Sudanese town of Merowe. Also, videos circulating on social media Thursday show what appear to be RSF-armed vehicles being transported into Khartoum, farther to the south.

The U.S. Ambassador to Sudan, John Godfrey, wrote online that he was “currently sheltering in place with the Embassy team, as Sudanese throughout Khartoum and elsewhere are doing.”

“Escalation of tensions within the military component to direct fighting is extremely dangerous,” Godfrey wrote. “I urgently call on senior military leaders to stop the fighting.”

In Saturday's statement, the RSF said it was contacted by three former rebel leaders who hold government positions in an apparent bid to de-escalate the conflict.

Sudan has been married in turmoil since October 2021 Western-backed, power-sharing administration and dashed Sudanese aspirations for democratic rule after three decades of autocracy and repression under Islamist ruler Omar al-Bashir.

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