Fighting in Sudan intensifies as army reinforcements join efforts to reclaim Khartoum from the paramilitary RSF, which has claimed control over the presidential palace. Recent attacks by the RSF have resulted in civilian casualties, further deepening the humanitarian crisis, with millions displaced and acute food insecurity escalating. The conflict has significantly divided the nation, leading to territorial control issues and a burgeoning humanitarian emergency.
The conflict in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, escalates as government army reinforcements arrive. The Sudanese army is attempting to regain control from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have seized the presidential palace and are intensifying their assaults during the ongoing conflict that began in April 2023.
Military spokesman General Nabil Abdullah reported that Armoured Corps troops from the south have joined forces already in Khartoum. This includes the recapture of a hospital previously held by the RSF. RSF commander, Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, stated that his forces would not abandon the Republican Palace and threatened to extend military operations into Blue Nile State, aiming at Port Sudan.
Recent shelling by the RSF has resulted in civilian casualties, including six deaths of civilians, among them two children. Reports indicate that civilians were struck in residential areas of northern Omdurman during army attempts to approach the presidential palace. The ongoing hostilities have resulted in tens of thousands of fatalities and have led to more than 12 million people being displaced, creating a significant humanitarian crisis.
The conflict has exacerbated the humanitarian situation, with approximately 3.5 million people displaced in Khartoum alone, according to the United Nations. The RSF’s control has expanded predominantly in western Darfur and parts of the south, while the army holds territories in the northern and eastern regions.
The war has effectively divided Sudan between the RSF and the army, with the RSF’s influence noticeable in their recent formation of the Founding Alliance for Sudan. This coalition aims to rival the government based in Port Sudan. UN reports highlight the dire conditions, revealing that more than 200,000 people in North Kordofan are displaced while nearly one million face acute food insecurity, exacerbated by border clashes in regions near South Sudan and Ethiopia.
The situation in Sudan is dire, with the ongoing conflict between the military and paramilitary forces leading to widespread humanitarian crisis and significant loss of life. As territorial control remains contested, the displacement of millions underscores the urgent need for international attention and intervention to address this escalating crisis.
Original Source: www.rfi.fr
