Heavy clashes rock Sudan’s capital as conflict enters 2nd month

By Adel Abdel Rahim

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) – Heavy clashes rocked the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, on Tuesday amid clashes between the army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, according to residents.

Sounds of artillery shelling were heard in several neighborhoods south and east of Khartoum. Armed clashes were also reported in Kadro district, 25 kilometres (15 miles) away from Khartoum.

There were no reports yet of casualties.

On Tuesday, the Sudan Doctors Syndicate put the death toll from the ongoing clashes in Sudan at 822 civilians and 3,215 others injured since April 15.

Last week, the United Nations said that around 200,000 Sudanese have crossed the border into neighboring countries to escape the fighting.

The two warring rivals signed a declaration of commitment to protect civilians in Sudan on May 11 after a week of talks in Saudi Arabia.

A disagreement had been fomenting in recent months between the Sudanese army and the RSF over the RSF's integration into the armed forces, a key condition of Sudan's transition agreement with political groups.

Sudan has been without a functioning government since October 2021, when the military dismissed Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok's transitional government and declared a state of emergency in a move decried by political forces as a "coup."

Sudan's transitional period, which started in August 2019 after the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir, had been scheduled to end with elections in early 2024.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi