Sudan: 97 killed as fighting enters third day

At least 97 people have been killed in Sudan as fighting between the country’s army and a paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) enters third day, Alazeera is reporting.

Fighting continued on Monday including fresh bombardment despite a ceasefire agreement reached by both groups.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how fighting erupted in Khartoum on Saturday between the Sudanese army and the RSF leading to the death of at least 56 people and injury to 595 others including combatants.

Both groups have been competing for power as political factions negotiate to form a transitional government after a 2021 military coup. The tensions stem from a disagreement about how the paramilitary force should be integrated into the armed forces and what authority should oversee that process.

The army has said it has taken over national television and will communicate to the public through the channel.

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The Sudanese foreign ministry in a statement on Monday declared the RSF a rebel entity that was fighting the state, ordering its dissolution.

Mohammed Daglo of RSF in a tweet said, “the international community must take action now and intervene against the crimes of Sudanese General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, a radical Islamist who is bombing civilians from the air. His army is waging a brutal campaign against innocent people, bombing them with MiGs.”

He claimed his group is fighting against radical Islamists who hope to keep Sudan isolated and in the dark, and far removed from democracy.

“We will continue to pursue Al-Burhan and bring him to justice,” he said, adding that the ongoing fight is the price of democracy.”

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He claimed no one was attacked by his team and their actions are merely a response to the siege and assault against them (RSF).

“We are fighting for the people of Sudan to ensure the democratic progress, for which they have so long yearned,” Mr Daglo added.

“We are taking every possible measure to ensure the safety and security of the people. We will not allow any harm to come to them, and we will do everything within our power to protect democracy and uphold rule of law in Sudan. We will prevail and achieve peace and stability,” he noted.

Meanwhile, doctors in Khartoum are calling on the warring sides to stop attacking hospitals so that the facilities can remain in service, Al Jazeera reports.

“The bombing of al-Shaab Hospital and al-Khartoum Hospital led to stopping the services of their emergency departments,” Razan al-Douri, the media secretary of the Sudan Medical Association, told Al Jazeera.

“Hospitals in Khartoum are located near important strategic areas in the conflict; that’s why they are getting bombed,” Mr al-Douri added, urging international organisations and the Sudanese Red Crescent to ask the rival groups “to stop bombing hospitals.”

“We, civilian doctors, cannot communicate with military parties whose leadership we do not know.”