Breaking

Sudan Mounts Air Strikes as Khartoum Clashes Escalate

Sudan’s main paramilitary group said it had seized the presidential palace, the army chief’s residence and Khartoum international airport on Saturday in an apparent coup attempt but the military said it was fighting back.

The Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which accused the army of attacking them first, also said they had taken over the airports in the northern city of Merowe and in El-Obeid in the west.

The situation on the ground was unclear. The army said it was fighting the RSF at sites the paramilitaries said they had taken and denied that the RSF had taken Merowe airport.

A major confrontation between the RSF and the army could plunge Sudan into widespread civil conflict as it struggles with economic breakdown and tribal violence.

The RSF accused the army of carrying out a plot by loyalists of ousted President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and attempting a coup itself.

The Sudanese air force is conducting operations against the RSF, the army said. Footage from broadcasters showed a military aircraft in the sky above Khartoum, but Reuters could not independently confirm the material.

Gunfire could be heard in several parts of Khartoum and eyewitnesses reporting shooting in adjoining cities.

A Reuters journalist saw cannon and armoured vehicles deployed in the streets of the capital and heard heavy weapons fire near the headquarters of both the army and RSF.

Doctors said clashes had occurred in residential neighbourhoods and at least three civilians had been killed.

Clashes were also taking place at the headquarters of Sudan’s state TV, an anchor who appeared on screen briefly said.

There was a heavy exchange of gunfire in Merowe, eyewitnesses told Reuters.

Eyewitnesses told Reuters that clashes had erupted between the RSF and army in the Darfur cities of El Fasher and Nyala.

International powers – the U.S., Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Nations and the European Union – all called for an end to the hostilities.

The U.S. Ambassador to Sudan, John Godfrey, said the escalation of tensions to direct fighting was “extremely dangerous”. He and embassy staff were sheltering in place.

The army said the RSF had tried to attack its troops in several positions after witnesses reported heavy gunfire in multiple parts of the country, raising fears of a full-blown conflict.

The RSF, which analysts say is 100,000 strong, said its forces were attacked first by the army.

Earlier, the RSF, headed by former militia leader General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, better known as Hemedti, said the army had surrounded one of its bases and opened fire with heavy weapons.

Hemedti’s RSF was formed from militias accused of war crimes in the Darfur conflict. In June 2019, security forces led by the RSF were accused of raiding a Khartoum pro-democracy camp and nearly 130 people died, according to a tally by activist doctors.

Hemedti has been deputy leader of the ruling Sovereign Council headed by army General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan since 2019.

Civilian political parties that had signed an initial power-sharing deal with the army and the RSF called on them to cease hostilities. The Russian embassy also called for an end to the violence.

The hostilities followed days of tension between the army and the RSF, which could undermine long-running efforts to return Sudan to civilian rule after power struggles and military coups.

Hemedti, once one of the most feared and ruthless militia leaders in Darfur, had put himself at the forefront of a planned transition towards democracy, unsettling fellow military rulers and triggering a mobilisation of troops in the capital Khartoum.

The rift between the forces came to the surface on Thursday, when the army said that recent movements, particularly in Merowe, by the RSF were illegal.

The RSF, which together with the army overthrew Bashir in 2019, began redeploying units in Khartoum and elsewhere amid talks last month on its integration into the military under a transition plan that would lead to new elections.

Follow us on:

AriseNews

View Comments

  • NIGERIA 🇳🇬 CUST0M SERVICE REPLACEMENT FORM IS FINALLY OUT FOR 2022 /2023 BATCH B AND YOU CAN GET IT DIRECTLY FROM THE ZONAL HEADQUARTERS IN NIGERIA INTERESTED APPLICANT THAT HAS WAECE, NECO, NCE, ND, HND, BSC CAN APPLY PLEASE KINDLY CONTACT ME ON: FOR MORE INQUIRIES

    CONTACT
    OFFICER Ettah ON
    [O8O 8271 2224 ]
    BAGS OF RICE 18K
    OIL 10K

    CARS FEATURES AND
    PRICE BELOW

    GOLF 2,3,4,5 #250,000
    TOYOTA CAMRY BIG
    DADDY #550,000
    TOYOTA CAMRY
    TINYLIGH= #350,000
    TOYOTA CAMRY
    MUSCLE= #850,000
    TOYOTA CAMRY
    PENCILLIGHT=#400,000
    TOYOTA COROLLA
    le=#550,000
    TOYOTA COROLLA
    S=#750,000
    TOYOTA
    VENZA=#950,00 1.8m
    TOYOTA Hilux 1.5 million
    TOYOTA AVALON
    #800,000
    TOYOTA AVENSIS
    #700,000
    TOYOTA RAV4 800k
    TOYOTA SIENNA
    #650,000
    TOYOTA
    4runner#950,000
    TOYOTA TUNDRA 1.9m
    TOYOTA PICNIC
    #550,000
    TOYOTA Highlander
    #950,000
    TOYOTA PADRO JEEP
    1.6m
    TOYOTA LAND
    CRUISER=1.5m
    TOYOTA YARIS #459,000
    TOYOTA MATRIX
    #650,000
    TOYOTA HAICE BUS
    #750,000
    ACCURA ZDX 1.6m
    ACCURA MDX 1.9m
    HONDA PILOT #950,00
    HONDA BABY BOY
    #550,000
    HONDA END OF
    DISCUSSION
    HONDA ACCORD
    #450,000
    Honda CR-V #850,000
    INFINITY fx450 #750,000
    to 1.4m
    NISSAN MURANO
    #650,00
    LEXUS RX 350 #1.2m
    LEXUS RS 330 # 1m
    LEXUS RS 300 # 900,000
    LEXUS RX 470 1.5m
    All NEGOTIABLE WE
    RENDER GOOD SERVICE
    TO CUSTOMER ....{ E.T .C}

    LOCATION AT OGUN
    STATE IDIROKO BORDER WE
    HAVE TWO OPTION
    ELDER WE DELIVERY OR
    YOU COME OVER IF WE
    HAVE TO COME OVER WE
    NEED THIS FROM YOU

    {1} NATIONAL ID CARD
    {2} BORDER PERMIT
    {3} INSPECTION DOCUMENTS
    {4} 2PASSPORT

    THANKS FOR YOUR
    PATRONAGE WE

    DELIVER TO 36 STATE IN
    NIGERIA AND ALSO
    COME DOWN WITH THE
    FULL PAYMENT CALL
    FOR MORE
    INFORMATION
    {07O 4540_-6674 }

Recent Posts

Search for Missing Persons Continues After Deadly Valencia Floods

Barcelona faces severe flooding as search and rescue efforts continue.

9 mins ago

Peter Obi Says He Will Turn Night Vigils To Night Shifts + Minors Face Death Sentence – Trending With Ojy Okpe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8c8PG-x1gg The music producer and composer, Quincy Jones, who worked with Music Legends, including, the…

12 mins ago

Prince William Arrives In South Africa For Earthshot Prize And Wildlife Summit

Prince William visits South Africa for Earthshot Prize, aiming to spotlight climate innovation and support…

43 mins ago

Chad’s President Threatens To Exit Regional Security Force, Citing Ineffectiveness Against Insurgents

Chad's President is considering exiting MNJTF, a regional security force, citing lack of cooperation against…

51 mins ago

Abuja Court Issues Arrest Warrant for Dana Air MD Hathiramani Ranesh over Absence at Fraud Trial

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the arrest of Dana Air MD Hathiramani…

56 mins ago

Equatorial Guinea Anti-Graft Chief Embroiled in Major Sex Scandal, Over 400 Tapes Found Involving Top Officials’ Families

A High-ranking Equatorial Guinean official is facing a major sex scandal with 400 explicit sex…

1 hour ago