Gunfire and explosions were heard throughout Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, on Saturday morning as two armed forces factions engaged in combat. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claim to have seized control of the Khartoum International Airport, the residence of the army chief, the state television station, and the presidential palace.
Following quite a while of mounting strains, individuals in Khartoum woke to discharges and furious battling between the RSF and Sudan’s military. The RSF claim to have now seized control of three airports, the army, and the presidency, bringing the country even more chaos.
Air force jets have been seen attacking targets over Khartoum, and both forces have accused the other of starting the fighting. A prolonged dispute over plans to integrate both forces as part of a fragile transition to democracy that now appears to be in even greater danger preceded the sudden conflict.
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Social media videos showed armored vehicles speeding through residential streets, soldiers firing in the streets of the capital, civilians fleeing and seeking shelter, and air force jets patrolling the skies. Specialists let Reuters know that somewhere around three regular folks have been killed in the battle.
The RSF, a powerful paramilitary organization led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagolo, more commonly referred to as Hemedti, and Sudan’s army, led by Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, have been at odds for months.
Fears of a full-blown conflict have been raised by the increasing mobilization of both forces in Khartoum as tensions have increased. On Thursday, when the army declared that the RSF’s most recent movements were illegal, worries got even worse.
The latest tumultuous occurrence in Sudan’s recent history is chaotic. In 2019, following a massive civil uprising, the military and the RSF assisted in the removal of Omar al-Bashir, the country’s previous long-time leader. Then, in 2021, after a brief period of civilian rule, both forces took power again in a coup, with the RSF being blamed for the deaths of hundreds of protesters and widespread violations of human rights.
The army agreed in December to hand power back to a civilian-led government this month. However, tensions between the army and RSF over who should lead and become the de facto head of state before elections have stalled the plan.
News agencies were informed by a military official that the RSF were attempting to regain control of the tactical base camp after challenging its authority. The RSF said in a clarification that the military had started the conflict, pursuing its base in the south of Khartoum.
