IRIA News

Updated on April 18

Sudan’s military and the country’s powerful paramilitary force engaged in intense fights in Sudan’s capital Khartoum raising fears of a civil war. At least 185 people have been killed and injured more than 1,800, according o UN amid airstrikes and fighting across Sudan.

The two sides are using tanks, artillery and other heavy weapons in densely populated areas and are “not giving the impression that they want mediation for peace” immediately, the United Nations envoy on Sudan Volker Perthes said.

A wave of deadly clashes surfaced in Khartoum and other major cities on April 15, 2023, amid fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Force (RSF) in the race to seize power.

Intense fighting between the two sides has gripped Sudan’s capital further derailing the African nation’s efforts to conduct democratic elections following the ouster of long-ruling autocrat Omar al Bashir.

Leaders of Sudan’s two major armed institutions, RSF and SAF have been at odds for a long time to seize the power. In the latest clashes, RSF managed to take control of the capital by capturing the residence of the army chief, presidential palace, and Khartoum international airport after an intense fight with the SAF.

RSF stated that it was first attacked by the army. RSF also highlighted that they had “seized the airports in the northern city of Merowe and El-Obeid in the west.” To prevent RSF from taking control of the crucial state infrastructures, the Sudanese army started carrying out aerial operations in different cities.

Several civilians have been reported dead during the clashes, however, due to the lack of coordination, so far it is unclear how many deaths have taken place as a result of the deadly clashes.

Chaotic scenes in Khartoum

European Union’s ambassador to Sudan has been assaulted in his residency as the fighting entered the third day on April 17. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell said “This constitutes a gross violation of the Vienna Convention. Security of diplomatic premises and staff is a primary responsibility of Sudanese authorities and an obligation under international law”.

A Saudi passenger plane was also hit by gunfire. According to the Saudi Arabian embassy in Khartoum, an Airbus A330 bound for Saudi Arabia “was exposed to gunfire damage with guests and crew on board.” The embassy has advised its citizens in Sudan to stay at home. Saudia Airlines reported that all crew members and passengers safely evacuated the aircraft and are now at the Saudi Embassy in Sudan. Ukrainian operator SkyUp Airlines also said that their aircraft has also been affected by the hostilities at Khartoum airport.

Deadly clashes in Sudan have resulted in aircraft damage at Khartoum Airport, including a Saudia A330. Saudi Airlines has suspended all flights to #Sudan as clashes erupt between the Sudanese army and paramilitary force pic.twitter.com/X26BTVME1y

— IRIA (@IRIA_Research) April 16, 2023

Reporters on the ground said that they could hear gunshots and heavy artillery being fired. “It’s not clear who is in control of the palace. The army says it is in control of its headquarters and also the Khartoum International Airport,” they reported.

Following the clashes, neighboring Chad closed its 1000 kilometers long border with Sudan. Chad’s government spokesperson Aziz Mahamat Saleh said that “Faced with this troubling situation, Chad, while securing its borders, has decided to close the frontier with Sudan until further notice.”

Crisis: The current crisis in Sudan can be dated back to 2019, when RSF, with the help of the army, overthrew Omar al-Bashir’s government after a series of nationwide protests. Soon after the coup, RSF started stationing itself in the country’s capital despite assuring democratic elections to the political factions of the country. Eventually, the two main actors of the 2019 coup, the army, and the RSF, turned on each other to capture power. At the heart of the tensions is a dispute over the integration of the paramilitary force, led by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, into the armed forces, which is being spearheaded by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s military.

Calls for ceasefire

United States, Russia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and China as well as the UN, European Union, and African Union, have all called for an immediate end to the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, and the U.S. held a trilateral call to discuss the ongoing situation in Sudan. The ministers called for an immediate halt to military escalation and a return to a framework agreement between civilian political forces and the military in Sudan. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also urged General Abdel Fattah Abdelrahman al-Burhan and General Mohamed Hamdan Degalo to take active measures to reduce tensions and ensure the safety of all civilians.

The African Union has also for an “urgent” ceasefire in a news statement. “Today, when things have gone dangerously out of control and resort to armed violence has prevailed as a way of resolving political disputes, the President of the Commission of the African Union makes a fervent appeal to all parties, armed forces and [RSF], in particular, to immediately cease the destruction of the country, the panic of the populations and the bloodbaths of innocent people in the last 10 days of the holy month of Ramadan.”