Global Courant 2023-04-16 10:25:21
Doctors say hundreds of people were also injured as fighting between the army and paramilitary forces stretches into the second day.
The sound of gunfire and heavy artillery reverberates through Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, for the second day as doctors say at least 56 civilians have been killed in fighting between the army and a powerful paramilitary force.
Sunday’s fierce fighting came as the United States, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates called on opposing sides to “immediately end hostilities without preconditions”.
Witnesses told Reuters news agency that the sound of heavy artillery shelling in Khartoum, the neighboring town of Omdurman and nearby Bahri continued early Sunday, while an Al Jazeera television feed showed clouds of smoke over the capital.
The Sudanese Doctors Union said at least 56 civilians have been killed and 595 people, including combatants, injured since fighting between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) broke out on Saturday.
The two sides battle for power as political factions negotiate the formation of a transitional government following a military coup in 2021. Tensions stem from a disagreement between the military, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, on how to integrate the paramilitary force into the armed forces and which authority should oversee that process.
Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan, reporting from Khartoum, said the situation in the capital remains tense with civilians caught in the middle of the fighting.
“It doesn’t look like the situation is de-escalating,” she said late Saturday. “In fact, the military has issued a statement saying it will not negotiate with the Rapid Support Forces until those forces are dismantled and the rebel forces are dealt with.”
“We still see fighting in Khartoum, near the presidential palace,” she said.
“We hear shots. We hear heavy artillery being fired. It is not clear who is in control of the palace and fighting is raging over state television. The army says it is in control of the headquarters and also the international airport of Khartoum.”
World powers – the US, Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Nations, the European Union and the African Union – all called for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement that he had spoken with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and the UAE and said the three countries agreed that it was essential that an end to the fighting in Sudan.
“I urge General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan and General Mohamed Hamdan Degalo to take active measures to reduce tensions and ensure the safety of all citizens,” he said. “The only way forward is to return to negotiations that support the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people.”
China also expressed concern, with the foreign ministry in Beijing urging all sides in Sudan to cease firing to prevent the situation from escalating.
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