Fighting between army and paramilitary leaves dozens dead in Sudan

Kathmandu: Sudan’s military and a powerful paramilitary force have engaged in fierce fighting in the capital and elsewhere in the country, dealing a new blow to hopes for a transition to democracy and raising fears of a wider conflict.

The fighting killed at least 27 people and wounded more than 170 others across the country, the Sudanese Doctors Union said in a statement late on Saturday.

The group was unable to determine if all the casualties were civilians. It added that there were many uncounted casualties, including military and paramilitary forces in the western Darfur region and the northern town of Merowe.

The clashes capped months of heightened tensions between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary 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.

After a day of heavy fighting, the military struck a base belonging to the RSF in the city of Omdurman, which adjoins the capital Khartoum, according to witnesses, and ruled out negotiations with the paramilitary force.

It instead called for the dismantling of what it called a ‘rebellious militia’.

The sound of heavy firing could be heard throughout Saturday across Khartoum and Omdurman, where the military and the RSF have amassed tens of thousands of troops since the coup.

Witnesses said fighters from both sides fired from armoured vehicles and from machine guns mounted on pick-up trucks in fighting in densely populated areas. Some tanks were seen in Khartoum.

The military said it launched attacks from planes and drones at RSF positions in and around the capital.

One of the flashpoints was Khartoum International Airport. There was no formal announcement that the airport was closed, but major airlines suspended their flights.