KHARTOUM: The conflict in Sudan has escalated further as air strikes targeted Khartoum, resulting in the deaths and injuries of more than two dozen civilians, according to a citizens’ group. Meanwhile, medics reported a surge in the number of wounded individuals fleeing Sudan’s troubled western Darfur region, highlighting the worsening violence in the two-month-long war.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed responsibility for shooting down a Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) fighter plane. However, an anonymous military source, not authorized to speak to the press, attributed the incident to a “malfunction.” The SAF, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, has been engaged in a power struggle with the RSF, headed by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, since April 15.
Witnesses have observed an intensification of air strikes in the capital, particularly over the past few days. On Saturday, warplanes once again targeted residential areas in Khartoum, resulting in the deaths of “17 civilians, including five children,” as reported by a citizens’ support committee. Earlier, residents had witnessed air strikes in the southern Yarmouk district, which is known for housing a weapons manufacturing and arms depot complex. The RSF had previously claimed “full control” over the area in early June.
The citizen’s committee also noted that 11 other civilians sustained injuries. However, independent verification of these figures by a foreign news agency was not immediately possible.
In a video released on the army’s Facebook page on Friday, deputy army chief Yasser Atta cautioned civilians to stay away from houses where the RSF is present, warning that the army would attack them at any time.
Since the conflict erupted, the death toll across the country has surpassed 2,000, according to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project. In the West Darfur state capital, El Geneina, alone, up to 1,100 people have been killed, as reported by the US State Department.
Health Facilities in Sudan Amid War
Medics on the ground have been overwhelmed by the influx of hundreds of wounded individuals fleeing the violence in Darfur. The situation in Darfur has become a growing global concern. The death of West Darfur Governor Khamis Abdullah Abakar, who was killed after criticizing the paramilitaries in a television interview, has further exacerbated tensions. The RSF has denied responsibility for his assassination.
“We are overwhelmed in the operating theatre. We urgently need more beds and more staff,” stated Seybou Diarra, a physician and project coordinator for Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Adre, Chad. The MSF reported an influx of wounded individuals arriving at the hospital in Adre, located just over the border about 20 kilometers (12 miles) west of El Geneina. Over a three-day period, more than 600 patients, mostly with gunshot wounds, sought medical assistance at the facility, with over half of them arriving on Friday.
Claire Nicolet, MSF’s head of emergency programs, highlighted “reports of intensifying and large-scale attacks this week.”
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 149,000 people have fled from Darfur into Chad. Nationwide, approximately 2.2 million people have been displaced by the ongoing conflict, with over 528,000 seeking refuge in neighboring countries, as stated by the IOM.
The United States State Department, attributing the atrocities in Darfur primarily to the RSF, characterized the violence and alleged human rights violations as an “ominous reminder” of the region’s previous genocide. The conflict in Darfur, which began in 2003 with a rebel uprising, saw the unleashing of the Janjaweed militia by then-strongman Omar al-Bashir. The Janjaweed’s actions led to international charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. The RSF has its origins in the Janjaweed.
With a record 25 million people, over half of Sudan’s population, requiring aid and protection, the United Nations has stressed the urgent need for funding, emphasizing that only a fraction of the necessary resources have been received thus far. Saudi Arabia has announced an international pledging conference scheduled for Monday in Geneva, aiming to address the critical humanitarian situation in Sudan.
